IMPROVEMENTS: IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMALL METALLIC' CHAINS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH CHAINS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lancelott, of Rose Terrace, Buxton Road,
in the County of Essex, Jeweller, for the.Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS:
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMALL METALLIC'
CHAINS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH CHAINS."
.
Sealed the 7th December 1860, and dated the 4th August 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Lancelott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
August 1860.
I, JAMES LANCELOTT, of Rose Terrace, Buxton Road, in the County of
Essex, Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMALL
METALLIC CHAINS, AND ALSO IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH CHAINS," to be as
follows:-
Fig. 1 of the Drawings annexed is a side sectional view of a machine con-
structed according to my Invention, taken in line w, w, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a
front sectional view of the same, taken in line x, x, Fig. 3. Fig. 3, a sectional
plan, taken in line y, y, Fig. 1.. Fig. 4, an enlarged front sectional view of
certain working parts. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12, are sections showing
detached portions of the machine and of the work produced by it. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.

page_text: This Invention relates to a machine for manufacturing sheet metal chains,
having for its object to perform the work expeditiously and automatically
from stock consisting of metal plates of a requisite thickness previously prepared
in any proper way.
To enable those skilled in the art to make use of my Invention, I will
proceed to describe the construction and operation of the machine. A repre-
sents a bed or horizontal plate, which is supported at a suitable height by any
proper means; B is an upright attached to said plate; the upper part of said
upright containing the fulcrum pin a of a lever C; on the back part of the
bed A a driving belt D is supported by uprights 6, 6, and on this shaft two
cams E, F, are placed, one of which E actuates lever C, and the other F
actuates a lever G, the fulcrum of which is at the upper part of an upright B,
to the front end of the lever C a plunger H is attached by a link d; the
plunger is fitted between proper guides e, e, attached to the upright B, and the
back end of the lever C is bent or curved and slotted, and works in the shaft
D, as shown clearly in Fig. 1; the cam. E acting against a pin f on the back
part of the lever. To the lower. end of the .plunger. H two dies I, J, are
attached. These dies.are simply rods, one of which I is of trilateral form at
its lower part, a transverse section of which is shown in Fig. 9, or other form
corresponding, to the form of the chain, to be made. The other die J is
transversely of polygonal, cylindrical, or other form, also corresponding to the
shape of the chain to be made. In Figs. 4, 5, & 8, the die is represented as
being of double polygonal form, one polygonal portion being above the others,
and the angles of one portion in line with the centres of the planes of faces
of the other portion, as shown clearly in Figures 4, 5, & 8, the upper
polygonal portion being a trifle smaller in diameter than the lower portion.
Within both dies. I, J, rods g, h, are fitted, and allowed to rise and fall freely.
These rods are both attached to a plate K, the upper end of which has a pin i
secured to it, said pin fitting in recess; in the front end of the lever L, which
has its fulcrum pin K in the upper part of the upright B, as shown in Fig. 1.
The back end of the lever L is acted on by the cam E, which has two faces
1, m, one of which acts against the pinƒ of lever C, and the other m against
the back end of lever L, see Fig. 3. To the lower end of the plate Ka collar n
is attached by a rod c, which also connects the rod h to the plate, said collar
being fitted and working on the lower part of the lever, S, as shown clearly in
Figs, 4, 5, & 8. The lever G, which is in a horizontal position, is connected
by an adjustable bar M with a slide N, which is fitted between guides p, p,
attached to a block o on the front part of the bed.A. To the slide N a bar P
1.

page_text: is attached, which bar works under a female die Q that is fixed in a stock g
attached to the block o. The die 9 corresponds in form to the male die I,
the former, of course, being placed in line with the latter. The bar P has a
dier fitted within it. This die is of cylindrical form, and is allowed to turn
within the bar P, said die being attached to a lever S, which has a pin on its
outer end, said pin fitting in a double oblique slot u, in a plate R attached to
the block o, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The upper surface or face of the
dier is recessed to correspond with the face of the die I, and vertically
within the dier a rod v is placed, the upper end of which is furnished with
vertical spurs or projections a, which are at the centre of the face of the dier,
and
I serve as guides, as will be presently explained. The female die Q has a
conical interior, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2, & 4. In order to ensure a
good cutting edge this form of the die Q is essential, and in order to prevent
an unnecessarily large chamber within the die consequent on said conical
form, a filling 6 is employed, said filling being composed of one or more plates,
(one only is shown in the Drawings,) and extending nearly up to the top of
the die A. Any soft metal will answer for the filling b. The lower end has
a circular boss c on it, and this, boss rests on a spring d; as clearly shown in
Figs. 2, 3, & 5. To the under side of the boss c a swedge R is actuated,
said swedge being formed of three arms projecting from a cylindrical shank,
as shown clearly in Fig. 11. Directly over the female die Q a cap e is placed,
said cap being perforated to allow the male die I to pass through; within the
block and underneath the slide N a' platef is placed; this. plate has an
opening 9 made in it, said opening being formed of six radial slots and a
polygonal centre, as shown clearly in Fig. 12; the centre of said opening corre-
sponding with the form of die J. In the block o, at a short distance below
the plate f, a plate h is placed. This plate has a hub i at its upper surface,
in which hub three radial grooves are made to receive three clamps j, shown
clearly in Fig. 6. These clamps are simply rectangular bars, having each a
notch in its under side, as shown in Fig. 7. Against the outer ends of
these clamps springs 61 bear. The inner ends of the clamps ; are notched to
form two or more faces according to the form of the chain. In Fig. 6, each
clamp has two faces at its inner end, the chain to be made being of horizontal
form, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, the chain being indicated in red.. S is an
arm or lever, the inner end m³ of which is of annular form, and encompasses
the hub i of plate h; the inner edge of the annular end m' of arm. S. is.
notched to. form a cami, as clearly shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 6.. The
cam m³ fits within the recesses or notches ¹ of the clamps 7. The arm S is

page_text: slotted longitudinally, and is connected, by a rod n with the lever G. To the
.lever G an arm T is attached at right angles. The outer end of this arm T is
connected to a slide U, which has a pawl o¹ attached to it, as shown clearly in
Fig. 1. On the top. of the die stock 9 a spring p is attached, said spring
having a pin q attached to its under side, said pin being provided with a
bevilled or rounded front side, as shown in Fig. 1.
• Against the outer edges of the levers C, L, springs 7, 8, bear respectively.
The plate R in which the oblique slots h, h, are made has a trilateral plate V
attached by a pivot t. To the under side of this plate, at its centre, a spring u
- is attached, said spring having a knob v at its end. The outer angular edge
of plate V is notched to receive catch W, against the outer part of which a
spring & bears.
g
The operation is as follows:-The stock from which the chains are made
consists of thin metal plates prepared in any proper way and of suitable
.dimensions. The shaft D is rotated by any convenient power and the operator
takes one plate at a time and feeds it underneath the cape and over the die Q.
The die E is made to descend by the action of the cam E on ƒ of lover C, and
said die cuts a blank from the plate corresponding to its face, and also to that
of the female die Q into which the male die passes. The blank falls within
and through the die Q, and is retained in proper position by the filling & falling
-properly within the die rand being retained therein by the rod g until the malo
*die I is elevated free from the die Q; as the die I ascends, the rod g is retained
down on the blank by the action of the part m of the cam E on the lever L,
and when the male die is perfectly free from the female die the lever Land
and rod 9 ascend and liberate the blank, before, however, the die I is fully
'elevated the lever G moves the slide N in block P, and the dier is brought in
line with the die J, so that at the next descent of the die I, the die J, which,
of course, descends simultaneously with it, will act upon the blank in die r by
reason of its being forced down on the centre of the blanks centrally between
'the spurs or projections a on rod v, will swage the blank in the form of a cap,
'cup, or link, shown separately at Fig. 10. The upper end of the rod v forming
the bottom of die 7, while the three fixed recesses shape the arms of the blank
as the rod v descends, the upper end of the rod v forming tho base, the upper
ends of the arms inclining a little outward. The spurs or projections a insure
the proper adjustment of the blank within the die r, and also cause the arms of
the blank (or link, as it may now be termed when bent up), to assume a proper
form as the die J and rod v descends with the die r. When the cap, cup, or
link is formed by the dic J being forced down in the dier, the die J. rises and

page_text: carries the cap, cup, or link with it, the cap, cup, or link adhering to the die in
consequence of the decreased diameter of the upper portion which forms
shoulders, and causes the cap, cup, or link to bind snugly to it. As the die J:
ascends the slide N, bar P, and consequently the die r are moved back to
their original position by the lever G, the dier being brought in line with
the die I. The two dies I, J, now descend, the former, as before, cutting a
blank from the plate A*, and the latter die J carrying down the cap,.cup, or
link into the perforation of the plate f, and within the uppermost link of the
chain, the latter being held by the clamps j; the platef serves also as a guide
to the swedge R, which works through it as will presently be shown, the rod h
and collar n, either or both being used to ensure the discharge of the cup, cap,
or link from the die simultaneously with the discharge of the cup or link. A
blank is fitted in the die r, and as the two dies I, J, again ascend the die "as
before is moved underneath the die J, and during the movement the dier is
rotated a certain distance in consequence of the lever S, pin t, and obliquo
slot ..and the position of the die is changed relatively with the die J about
one-sixth of a revolution. The two dies I, J, again descend, the former I,
without result, but the latter J swages the blank in 2, into a cap, cup, or
liuk as before. During this swaging of the cap, cup, or link, the cap, cup, or
link deposited in the chain previous to the last, and consequently the second
one from the top is clinched by its swedge or clinching tool R as the latter is
forced down by the action of the die J on the rod v, the centre cylindrical
portion of the swage keeping the arms of the uppermost link in proper position
to receive the succeeding link, see Figs. 4 & 5. The object in having the die r
to partially rotate will now be apparent, for in order to clinch the links- they
must set alternately in varying positions in order that their arms may interlock,
and, as in the present case, the links have three arms, the links must, in order
to be properly adjusted or fitted together be rotated one-sixth of a revolution.
Each time a link is clinched on the chain the latter is retained by the clamps
J, the inner ends of which are passed against the chain' by the aetion of the
cam'm, said clamps also giving the proper external form to the chain, performing
the double function of clamps and swages. When the die J descends to
adjust a link in the chain, the latter is held by the action of the springs h only
on the clamps j, and consequently the die is allowed to feed the chain down
each time a link is adjusted to it. If the operator has fed the plate A*, over
the die Q a short distance, the plate is fed automatically by the pawl' o, which
catches into the perforations made by the cutting out of the blanks, the catch g
which also works into. the perforations serving as a retaining or holding pin

page_text: during the forward movement of the pawl o.
Instead of causing the dier to per-
form a partial rotation in order to move the alternate links into position, I can
also effect this object by causing the die or pinch J to perform the partial revo-
lution necessary to bring the link into position while the link still adheres to it,
and previous to its deposit upon the previously formed link with which it is to
be interlocked as before. In this case the upper part of the dier is made a
fixture to the slide N, as it is no longer required to turn round. Instead of
turning the link to position either by the partial rotation of the dier or punch J,
I sometimes-arrange parts of the machinery to cut two blanks in the different
positions required, which being arranged, one on each side of the forming
die or punch J, the blanks-alternately advance from either side.
My improvements in the manufacture of these chains consists in swaging or
forming an angular or other hollow on the inside of the link at & extending
upwards from the base of each of the arms, that is to say, close to and extended
up the arm from the body of the link, which hollows receive. and clip; the
enlarged ends of the arms of the adjoining link, & the links .thereby retain
a firmi hold of each other. These hollows are raised or forced out of the
solid-metal-at-the-time of forcing the link-from the-blank..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Lancelott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th February 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
LANCELOTT, of Rose Terrace, Buxton Road, in the County of Essex, Jeweller,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Lancelott, Her spécial licence that I, the said James Lancelott,
my executors, administrators; and assigns, or such others. as I, the said
James Lancelott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
-time agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter,
sduring the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exer-
Acise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
athe Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention. for "IMPROVEMENTS IN

page_text: MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SMALL METALLIC CHAINS,
AND ALSO. IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH CHAINS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said James Lancelott, my executors or administrators;
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and causó
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...
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Lancelott, do hereby declare
the-nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,.
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates, first, to a certain formation of the links of small
metallic chains formed of thin sheet metal, which I herein-after term stock,
the object of the form of link being to produce a description of plate chain that
should not only admit of great variety of ornamental patterns, but also, when
made of the ordinary quality of' stock will be of sufficient strength to meet all
reasonable requirements, and in fact be equal to the cohesive strength. of the
metal of which it is composed. I take a blank of sheet metal, such as shown
at Fig. 9, having three arms, on the extremity of each of which arms is formed
a cross bar 2, having.its corners rounded as shown of each arm as will, when beat
up, compose one side of the chain cut to the ornamental form which is to dis-
tinguish the chain, care being taken that the base shall be broader than the
top. I then take the die and form the face, which is a geometrical figure,
having twice the number of angles as the link-has arms, and strike up the link
in such a manner that one of the outer angles of the forming punch shall indent
à point midway between the side of each arm; see Fig. 9. The link-is then
made to assume the form shown in Fig. 10, each of the arms being bent-trans-
Oversely at right angles, or nearly so; with the base, and each arm also takes. the
forin of the angle of the die, being bent longitudinally to the angle due to the
geometrical figure into which the base is formed. A second link is then pre-
'pared in the same manner, and placed within the arms of the first previous
link the extremity 2 of each arm of the first link is then bent over towards
5 the centre of the chain in a direction parallel with the base. It will.,be
observed that the ears. of the cross bar. 2, when bent down, take a bearing
'ngainst the sides of the angles of the two adjoining arms of the last link, so
that when the arms of that link are bent down in the same manner, the first

page_text: link is held in its place, and cannot be drawn out without tearing away the
metal. By repeating this process I am enabled to make a chain which is
capable of sustaining a strain equal to the cohesive strength of the metallic
arms of the link, at the same time that it admits of a great variety of
ornamental patterns. I have spoken of links having three arms, and the
Drawing exhibits the links of a chain having that number of arms only; but
the same principle can be adopted in the use of links having a greater number
of arms, though I don't think with any advantage either in point or strength
or beauty.
I claim the method described of weaving a chain from sheet metal, by 1
forming the base of each link into a geometrical figure, and by bending each
arm longitudinally at the same angle as one of the outer angles of the base,
so that a cross-bar or increased breadth on the extremity of the arm of the
next preceding link shall, when bent down, bear against the angular sides of
two of the arms of the next succeeding or adjoining link, and thereby enable
the chain to stand a strain nearly equal to the cohesive strength of the metal
of which the links are formed.
The second part of my Invention relates to a machine for manufacturing
sheet metal chains, by which the whole work may be performed expeditiously
and automatically from stock consisting of metal plates of the requisite:
thickness, previously prepared in any proper way, and to enable those skilled
in the art to make and use machinery according to my Invention. I will
proceed to describe its construction and operation.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side sectional view of a machine constructed according to my
Invention, taken in line w, w, Fig. 3; Fig. 2, a front sectional view of the
same, taken in line x, x, Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan, taken in line y, y,
Fig. 1; Fig. 4, an enlarged front sectional view of certain working parts;
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are sections showing detached portions of
the machine, and the working produced by it. Similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the several Figures.
"A represents a bed or horizontal-plate, which is supported at a suitable
height by any proper means; B is an upright attached to said plate, the
upper part of said upright containing the fulcrum pin-a of the lever C. .On
the back part of the bed A a driving shaft D is supported by uprights b, b,
and on this shaft two cams E, F, are placed, one of which, E, actuates the
lever C, and the other, F, actuates a lever G, the fulcrum of which is at the

page_text: These rods are
i secured to it,
upper end of upright B. To the front end of lever C a plunger H is
attached by a link d. The plunger is fitted between proper guides e, e,
attached to the upright B, and the back end of the lever C is bent.or. curved,
and slotted, and works on the shaft D, as shown clearly at Fig. 1, the cam E
acting against a pin f on the back part of the lever. To the lower end of
the plunger H two dies I, J, are attached. These dies are simply rods, one
of which, I, is of trilateral form at its lower part, a transverse section of
which is shown in Fig. 9, or other form corresponding to the form suitable
for the blank of the chain to be made. The other die, J, is in its horizontal
section of polygonal, cylindrical, or other form, corresponding to the shape of
the chain to be made. In Figs. 4, 5, & 8 the die J is represented as being
of double polygonal form, one polygonal portion being above the other,, and the
angles of one portion in line with the centres of the planes or faces of the
other portion, as shown clearly in Figs. 4, 5, & 8, the upper polygonal portion
being a trifle smaller in diameter than the lower portion. Within both dies
I, J, rods g, h, are fitted, and allowed to rise and fall freely.
both attached to a plàte K, the upper end of which has a pin
said pin fitting in recess j in the front end of the lever L, which has its
fulcrum pin K in the upper part of the upright B, as shown in Fig. 1. The
back end of the lever L is acted upon by the cam E, which has two faces l, m,
one of which, l, acts against the pin f of lever C, and the other, m, against
the back end of lever L, see Fig. 3. To the lower end of the plate K a
collar n is attached by a rod c, which also connects the rod h to the plate K;
said collar being fitted and working on the lower part of the die J, as shown
clearly in Figs. 4, 5, and 8. The lever G, which is in a horizontal position,
is connected, by an adjustable bar M, with a slide N, which is fitted between
proper guides p, p, attached to a block O on the front part of the bed A. To
the slide N a bar P is attached, which bar works under a female die Q that
is fixed in a bed 9 attached to the fixed part o.
The die Q corresponds in
form to the male die I, the former, of course, taking up a position in line
with the latter. The slide P bas a dier fitted in.it. This die is of cylindrical
form, and is allowed to turn within the slide bar P, said die being attached to
a lever s, which has a pint on its outer end, said pin fitting in a double
oblique slot in a plate R attached to the block O, as shown clearly in
Fig. 3. The upper surface or face of the dier is recessed to correspond with
the face of the die I, and vertically, within the die r, it is of the hexagonal
form of the link to be swedged or formed. A rod v is also placed therein,
the upper end.of which is provided with vertical. spurs or projections a, which

page_text: are, at the centre of the face of the die r, and. serve as guides, as will be
presently shown. The female die Q has a conical interior,.as shown clearly
in Figs. 1, 2,. & 4. In order to ensure a good cutting edge, this form of: the
die Q.is essential, and in order to prevent an unnecessarily large chamber
within the die; consequent on said conical form, a filling. ' is employed, said
filling being composed of one or more plates. (only 'one is shown in the
Drawings); and extending nearly up to the top of the die.. Any. soft metal
will.answer for the filling 6. The lower end has a circular boss c¹ on it, and
this boss rests on a spring d³, as shown. clearly in Figs. 2, 3, & 5.
1
For the under side of the boss c¹ a swedge R is attached, said swedge.being
formed of.three arms projecting from a cylindrical shank as shown clearly in
Fig. 11,, directly over the female die Q.a cap e¹ is placed,. said cap being per-
forated to allow the male die to pass through.. Within the block O' and
underneath the slide N; 1. plate f¹ is placed; this plate has an opening g¹ made
in it, said opening being formed of six: radial. slots, and a polygonal:centre.as
shown clearly in Fig: 12; the centre of: said opening corresponds. with the form
of die J: In the block. O, at a short distance below the plate f, a plate h¹ is
placed. This plate has a hub.z on! its- upper- surface, in which-bub.three
radial grooves are made to receive three :clamps j, shown: clearly in Fig. 6.
These clamps are simply rectangular.bars having each a. notch k¹ in its under
side, as shewn in Fig. 7; against the outer ends of these clamps springs bear.
The inner ends of the clamps are notched to form two or more faces,
according to the form of the chain. The object of these clamps.is: to grip the
chain and sustain it while receiving the pressure necessary to connect the separate
links as they are applied in succession to the chain already made, and to release
it and allow of its descent during the progress of manufacture. In Fig. 6. each
clamp has two faces at its inner end, the chain to be made being of hexagonal
form as shown clearly in Fig. 6; the chain is indicated in red. S is an arm or
lever, the inner end m² of which is of annular form, and encompasses the hub.i
of plate h. The inner edge of the annular end. m² of arm S is notched: to
form a cam, as clearly shown by the dotted lines. in Fig. 6. The cam m³ fits
within the recesses or notches k¹ of the clamps 7. The arm S is slotted longi-
tudinally, and is connected by a rod n¹ with the lever G.. To the lever .G an
arm T is attached at right angles. . The outer end of this arm T is connected
to, a slide U; which has a pawl o¹ attached to it; as shown clearly in Fig. 1.
On the top of the .die block q a spring p¹-is attached, said spring having a pin
2 attached to its under side, said pin being provided with a bevilled or rounded
front side, as seen in Fig. 1. Against the outer edges of the levers C, L,

page_text: springs ³, s¹, bear respectively. The plate R³, in which the oblique slots u, u,
are made has a trilateral plate V attached by a pivott. To the under side of
this plate at its.centre a.spring a is attached, said spring having a knob vat
its end. The outer angular edge of plate V. has two notchies to receive a
catch w¹ pressed therein by a spring which holds piece V in the alternate
positions until thrown. over by the superior.force of arm s.and pin t!..
g
The operation is as follows:-The stock or material from which the chains
are made consists of thin.metal plates A+ prepared in any-proper way, and of
suitable dimensions. The shaft D is rotated by any convenient power, and the
operator takes one. plate at a time and feeds it underneath the cap el and over
the die Q.. The die I is.måde to descend by the action. of the cam E on' the
pin f.of.the lever C, and said die cuts a blank from the plate corresponding to
its face and also to that of the female die Q, into which the male die passes.
The. blank falls within & through the die Q, and is retained in proper position
by the filling. , and therefore falling properly within the die r,. it is
retained therein by the rod 9 until the male die I is elevated free from the
die. Q. As the die I ascends the rod 9 is retained down on the blank by the
action of the part m of the cam E on the lever .L, and when the male die.is
perfectly free from the female die, the lever Land rod g ascend and liberate
the blank. Before, however, the die. I is fully. elevated the lever G moves the
slide N, and the die r is brought in line with the die J, which, of course, as it
descends simultaneously with it will act upon the blank in die.r, and die J
being forced down on the centre. of the. blanks centrally between the spurs
or projections a¹ on rod v it will.swedge the blank in the form of a cap or cup,
as shown in Fig. 10. The upper end of the rod v forms the bottom of die. r,
while the three fixed recesses shape the arms of the blank as the rod v descends,
the upper ends of the arms inclining a little.outwards. The spurs or pro-
jections a¹ ensure the proper adjustment of the blank within the die 1, and
also cause the arms of the blank (or link as it may now be termed when bent
up) to assume a proper form as the die J and rod v ascends within the dier,
the die J in rising carries the cap, cup, or link with it, the cap,, cup, or
link adhering to.the die in consequence of the decreased diameter of the upper
portion which forms shoulders, and causes the cap, cup, or link to bind snugly
to it. As the die J. ascends, the slide N, bar P, and consequently the die ? are
moved. back to: their original, positions by the lever G, the dies being brought
in line, with the die I. The two dies I, J, now again descend, the former, as
before, cutting a blank from the plate A+ and the. latter.die J carrying.down
the cap,. cup, or
link into the perforation of..the plate f, and. within the upper

page_text: most link of the chain already made, the latter being held. by the clamps j³,
the plate serves also as a guide to the swedge R, which works through.it as
will presently be shown, the rod h and collar n, either or both being used to
ensure the discharge of the cap, cup, or link from the die J.. Simultaneously.
with the discharge of the cap, cup, or link, a blank is again fitted in the die »,
and as the two dies I, J, again ascend, the die r, as. before, is moved underneath
the die J, and during this movement: the dier is rotated a certain distance in
consequence of the lever's, pin t, and oblique slot u, and the position of the
die ŕ is changed relatively with the die J about. one-sixth of a revolution.
The two dies I, J, again descend a short distance, the former I without result,
but during which the latter.J. swedges the blank in r into a cap, cup, or ..link
as before. During this swedging, of the cap, cup, or link, the cap, cup, or link
deposited on the chain previous to the last, and consequently the second' one
from the top is clinched by the swedge or clinching tool R (seen separately at
Fig. 11), as the latter is forced down by the action of the die J taking effect
on the rod v the centre cylindrical portion of the swedge keeping the arms of
the uppermost link in proper position to receive the succeeding links, see
Figs. 4 & 5.,
::
The object in having the die r. to partially rotate will now be apparent, for
in order to clinch the links they must. sit alternate in varying positions; in
order that their arms may interlock, and. as, in the present case, the links have
three arms, the links must in order to be perfectly adjusted or fitted together
be rotated one-sixth of a revolution. Each time a link is clinched on the
chain, the latter is retained by the clamps j', the inner ends. of which are
pressed against the chain by the action of the cam m³, said clamps also giving
the proper, external form to the chain, performing the double function of
clamps and swedges. When the die J descends to adjust a link on the formed
chain, the latter is held by the action of the spring h³ only on the clamps j¹.
and consequently the die is allowed to feed the chain down each time a link is
adjusted in it. After the operator has fed the plate A* over the die Q a short
distance, the plate is fed automatically by the pawl o', which catches into the
perforations made by the cutting out of the blanks. The catch g¹, which also
works into the perforations, serving as a retaining or holding pin during the
forward movement of the pawl o¹. Instead of making the female-swedging
die to rotate in order to adjust the trilateral link to the alternate positions
required, to form the hexagonal chain, I, can modify the machine to effect that
object by the rotation of the swedging die or punch J, which modifications I
have represented in Figs. 13. & 14.. Fig. 13 being a partial front view, while

page_text: Fig. 14 is a transverse vertical section of the slide H through the die J. In
this case the female forming die " is a fixture in the slide p, and does not rotate
with partr immediately below, the movement of which, however, is the same as
before. The die J in this case is fitted in slide H; so as to rotate, and is con-
trolled by an arm 3 projecting therefrom and taking into angular slots 4, 4,
similar in arrangement and action to the slots u, u, controlling pin t, and
arm s, for the rotation of r, before described. In this arrangement the socket
n is dispensed with, and the central pin h alone used to knock the link off
die J. The pin h is operated on by the plate K, as before; the connection
between that pin and plate K being by means of a pin 5 received in a hori-
zontal slot 6, in the lower part of plate K. The die J, as before mentioned,
is fitted to partially rotate in the slide H, and is adjusted vertically by a set
screw 7 to the depth it shall enter the forming die ", whereby it operates on
the blank and takes up the link. The slots 4, 4, operating, the turning of J
are formed in a bracket piece 8, 8, fixed to the framework e. V is the rocking
piece, as before, mounted on pin 9, and held in its alternate positions by a
catch 10, taking into notches 11. The catch being constantly pulled upwards
by spring 12, it holds V at all times, except when depressed by the contact of
screw 13, which descends with H-and strikes the' catch 10 out, when the
position of V is to be changed by contact of arm 3; 14 is the tongue piece,
which opens alternately the right and left slots 4, 4; it is mounted on a
spring 15 (as before) fixed to V. It will be understood from the dotted posi-
tion, the tongue piece 14 assumes positions that it alternately connects the
vertical part of the course of arm 3 with the angular slots 4, 4, and therefore
so controls the traverse of arm 3, that the die J in descending to its fullest
extent rotates on its axis, and alternates first to the right and then to the left.
The other working of the machine and the manufacture of the chain is
precisely as before; but in order to make the working of this modified
Farrangement better understood, I will briefly enumerate the several operations
as they succeed each other. It will be understood from the former descrip-
tion, that the-slide H & dies. I & J perform two 'descents for each revolution of
the main shaft D; the one and greatest descent cutting a blank, while at samė
time the die J deposits the previously cut link in plate f¹ to be secured to the
'chain, which takes place with the slide P in the position represented in Fig. 4.
The shorter descent takes place while the slide P is in the position 'shown at
Figs. 2 & 5. The effect of which is to swedge or form the link, and also to
fold down the arms of a preceding link. The action is as follows:-During
the greater descent the die I cuts the blank, which falls in the trilateral recess

page_text: in before the, next and lesser descent takes place this is carried imme-
diately under the die J; as at Fig. 5. The slide H again descending, the
die J impresses the blank into form in 7, and takes it up during this descent.
The arm 3 remains in the short vertical part of its course, therefore die J
neither turns to the right nor to the left (at this time the partial descent of
punch I is in operation, but without effect). The greater descent now
succeeds, when another blank is cut and deposited, as before, while at same
time the die J descends with the link and deposits it in plate f¹ in the arms,
so to speak, of the link lastly before deposited. At each of the greater
descents, as the action of the die. J in turning, one-sixth part of a revolution
alternately to the right and left, as before described, is such that each suc-
ceeding link is deposited in position suitable to be.received between the arms
of the preceding link, which subsequently has its arms bent down on the body
of the link last deposited, thereby retaining it and, uniting them firmly
together. The swedging or bending down of the arms is performed, as before
mentioned, at the time die J forms and takes up the link in 11. For this
purpose the descent of J at same time takes effect on the trilateral piece R...
through the intervention of rod V. This being at tlie time immediately över
the connected links or chain, and turned by arms to position suitable for
entering between and without operating on the arms of the link last deposited.
It descends through the plate f¹ during the operation, & acts on and folds
down the part 2 of the arms of previous link on to the body of the last
deposited link. Chains so made may be afterwards drawn through a draw
plate, and otherwise finished, as well understood in the manufacture of similar
chains by hand.
I claim with reference to the machine herein-before described,-
First, the employment of a forming die J, in connection with a rotating or
partially rotating die r, arranged substantially as shown, to ensure simul-
taneously with the progress of swaging the blanks into the proper shaped links
& the proper adjustment of the latter for interlocking of the same.
Secondly, the decreased diameter of the upper portion of the forming
die J, so as to ensure the adhesion of the cap, cup,. or link to it, and enable the
sáid die to perform the double function of die and carrier when the said die J
is used in connection with the dier to operate conjointly as & for the purpose
set forth.
Thirdly, constructing the dier with a rod v', with or without shears or
projections a', and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourthly, the clearer rod h and collar n, either or both applied to the

page_text: forming die J, and arranged to operate in connection with the dier and rod v,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifthly, the clamps j in connection with the swage or clinching tool R, or
its equivalent, arranged to operate conjointly, as shown, and for the purpose
specified.
Sixthly, the guide plate f in connection with the swage or clinching tool R,
the former serving as a guide to the latter, and ensuring its proper action.
Seventhly, the swage or clinching tool R when constructed, as shown, to bend
or clinch the arms of the links, and at the same time keep the arms of the
uppermost link in proper position, so that the latter may readily receive the
succeeding links.
And lastly, the modified arrangement of parts described with reference to
Figs. 13 & 14, in which the forming die J moves axially in order to deposit
the links in their proper position, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Lancelott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
FREDERICK PAGE.
JAMES LANCELOTT. (L.S.)