Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Chain.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Chain.
We, WILLIAM MOORE, of 121 Gerrard Street, Lozells, in the City of
Birmingham, Machinist, and EDGAR GODWIN HARCOURT, of 37 Westminster
Road, Birchfields, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of chain for cistern
valves, chandeliers, and for other purposes, our object being to construct a machine
for the rapid production of continuous lengths of chain from a number of inde-
pendent blanks.
In carrying our invention into effect we preferably make our improved machine
to be driven by spur or other suitable gearing for transmitting the necessary
power. We place the brass or other metal blanks which are stamped or produced
in the ordinary manner, within a holder having an aperture formed through it,
suitably shaped to permit of the free passage of the blanks from the upper to
the lower end of the holder. The holder is placed on the machine above the
feeder or carrier, on to which the blanks are delivered singly from the holder
and carried forward by the action of a lever operated from a cam on the driving
shaft, into position in front of a pair of dies, and at the same time the blank
whilst still resting on its flat side is threaded into the link immediately pre-
ceding it.
On the advance of the operating ram with the attached link forming tool, the
blank is turned through a right angle and is thus brought on to its edge. The
continued advance of the ram will then force the blank between the dies, and so
form it into a U shaped link. The forming tool attached to the ram has a well
rounded end or nose, in order that the metal shall not be subjected to any undue
stress whilst being pressed between the dies. On the withdrawal of the ram the
dies are forced together whilst a spring presses on to the upper side of the link
to keep its edges square with each other, and to press it into a position groove
formed within the table of the machine; the ends of the link are thus forced
together, and in the next advance of the chain, the closing is completed between
grooves formed in the same pair of dies.
The forward movement of the link forming ram with attached tool, and the
closing movement of the dies are effected by means of a cam secured to the
driving shaft of the machine. The return and opening movements of the ram
and dies are preferably effected by the action of a suitably arranged spring.
We modify the details and arrangement of the parts forming our improved.
machine to suit the particular type of chain to be produced without departing.
from the essential features of our invention.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Chain.
We, WILLIAM MOORE, of 121 Gerard Street, Lozells, Machinist, and EDGAR
GODWIN HARCOURT, of 37 Westminster Road, Birchfields, Manufacturer, both
in the City of Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of chain for cistern
valves, chandeliers and for other purposes, our object being to construct a machine
for the rapid production of a continuous length of chain from a number of inde-
pendent blanks.
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
to :-
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a side elevation of our improved machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation through the line x x Figure 1.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged plans of the dies showing three stages in the
formation of the links.
Figure 7 is an enlarged elevation of the die F and link forming tool G'shown in
plan at Figure 4.
Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the method of opening and closing the dies.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
In carrying our invention into effect we preferably make our improved machine
to be driven by belting or by spur or other suitable gearing for transmitting the
necessary power. We place a pile of the brass or other metal blanks which are
stamped or produced in the ordinary manner, within a holder or hopper A having
an aperture formed through it, suitably shaped to permit of the free passage of
the blanks from the upper to the lower end of the holder, a spring such as A'
being sometimes provided to press upon the top of the pile. The holder is placed
on the machine above the feeder B working in the guide block Band kept in
position by the spring B2. The blanks are delivered singly from the holder in
front of the feeder B and are then pushed forward by the feeder under the action
of a lever C operated from a cam D-on the driving shaft E into position in front
of a pair of dies F F', (shown in detail at Figures 4 to 7 inclusive), and at the
same time the blank, whilst still resting on its flat side, is threaded into the link
immediately preceding it as shown at Figure 4.
On the advance of the operating ram G with the attached link-forming tool G¹,
the blank is turned or tilted through a right angle by the projecting wedge
shaped nose g shown at Figures 4 and 7, and is thus brought on to its edge. The
continued advance of the ram will then force the blank between the dies, and so
form it into a U-shaped link, as shown at Figure 5. The forming tool attached
to the ram has well rounded corners at its working end in order that the metal
shall not be subjected to any undue stress whilst being pressed between the dies.
On the withdrawal of the ram the dies are forced together, to the position shown
at Figure 6 by the lever H and fork J having wedge shaped ends, whilst a
spring K presses on to the upper side of the link to keep its edges square with
each other and to force it into a position groove formed within the table of the
machine; the ends of the link are thus forced together and on the next advance
of the chain by the ram the closing of the link is completed between the second
or rear grooves formed in the dies F F¹. Thus ou each advance of the ram G
with the tool G' one link is partly formed between the dies, whilst the link
immediately preceding it is completed.
The forward movement of the link forming ram G with attached tool G', and
the closing movement of the dies F F¹ is effected by means of a cam L secured

page_text: to the driving shaft E of the machine. The opening movement of the dies is
effected by the action of a pair of springs M M acting in conjunction with the
lever H and fork J attached, having wedge shaped ends j j¹. The relative
positions of the fork J and the dies when the latter are in their open position
are shown at Figure 8, whilst the relative positions when the dies are closed are
indicated at Figure 9.
The return movement of the ram G is effected by means of the spring N, and
the return of the lever H by the spring O.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The improved machine for the rapid production of a continuous length of
chain from a number of independent blanks substantially as described and as
illustrated.
2. In machines for the manufacture of chain the combination of a reciprocating
tool such as G' with dies such as F F¹ having an opening and closing movement
imparted to the same substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described,
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In machines for the manufacture of chain the combination of movable dies
such as F F with a reciprocating fork such as J having wedge shaped ends
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
1002
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.