A New or Improved Chain for Driving Velocipedes and other Machinery.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 19th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Chain for Driving Velocipedes and other
Machinery.
I, RICHARD HENRY LEA, Machinist, of Stoke Green, Coventry, in the County
of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to new or improved chains for driving velocipedes and other
machinery.
"
The most satisfactory chains hitherto made belong to one or other of the two
following types. The first is constructed of alternately inside and outside links.
It is obvious that the lateral distance between the outside, or wide, links, must be
greater than that of the inside, or narrow, links; and as the face of the chain wheel
is made to approximately fit the narrow links, it follows that there must be an
excessive amount of "play or lateral movement of the wide links on the wheel.
This, in a fast running chain is very objectionable and especially so in the case of
velocipedes where the two chain wheels are liable to be strained slightly out of line.
This method of construction is also open to the objection that in the event of it
being desired to shorten the chain, (on account of stretching, or other cause) it is
not possible to remove one link and join up again. Either two links must be
removed, or a specially cranked, and necessarily ugly, one inserted.
In the second type referred to, solid block links, generally made of figure 8
section, are connected by side links. This method ensures a constant lateral
measurement between the side links, but making allowance for the strength necessary
for driving velocipedes, it is not practicable to obtain a shorter pitch than about
one inch.
A still more serious objection is the fact that for a chain of equal pitch with
type 1, this latter arrangement involves an increase of 50% in the working, and
consequently wearing joints.
My improved chain is so made that both the inside and outside surfaces of the
side links, are in line, whilst the full width between the links is available for the
wearing surface of the chain wheel.
At the same time, I secure, when required, a much shorter pitch, which in a
given number of teeth, of course means less diameter and weight of chain wheels.
These advantages I obtain by making each link of bifurcated form, the connecting
piece (which may be cylindrical) at one end of the legs forming the "bowl" and I
make the rivet hule eccentric to the bowl or pitch roll, thus enabling me, without
undue dimensions, to get a solid tie between the side links or legs and the larger
diameter of the bowl, and still provide room at the sides of the bowl for the legs of
the succeeding link to bear against each side of the bowl, and to come into the same
plane as other links.
The links are preferably made in halves being, for example, divided vertically
at the central part of the "bowls" for convenience in inserting shouldered rivets.
Each half link is precisely like any other half link. By the foregoing con-
struction a single link of a chain can be taken out and the two ends of the chain
rejoined.
My improved chain is also very much neater in appearance than those bitherto
made.

page_text: A New or Improved Chain for Driving Velocipedes and other
Machinery.
I, RICHARD HENRY LEA, Machinist, of Stoke Green, Coventry, in the County
of Warwick, 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:-
My invention relates to new or improved chains for driving velocipedes and other
machinery.
The most satisfactory chains hitherto made belong to one or other of the two
following types: The first is constructed of alternately inside and outside links.
It is obvious that the lateral distance between the outside, or wide, links, must be
greater than that of the inside, or narrow, links; and as the face of the chain
wheel is made to approximately fit the narrow links, it follows that there must be
an excessive amount of "play or lateral movement of the wide links on the
wheel. This, in a fast running chain, very objectionable, and especially so in the
case of velocipedes where the two chain wheels are liable to be strained slightly
out of line. This method of construction is also open to the objection that in the
event of its being desired to shorten the chain (on account of stretching, or other
cause), it is not possible to remove one link and join up again. Either two links
must be removed, or a specially cranked, and necessarily ugly one inserted.
In the second type referred to, solid block links, generally made of figure 8
section, are connected by side links. This method ensures a constant lateral
measurement between the side links, but making allowance for the strength
necessary for driving velocipedes, it is not practicable to obtain a shorter pitch
than about one inch.
A still more serious objection is the fact that for a chain of equal pitch with
type 1, this latter arrangement involves an increase of 50% in the working, and.
consequently, wearing joints.
My improved chain is so made, that both the inside and outside surfaces of the
side links are in line, whilst the full width between the links is available for the
wearing surface of the chain wheel.
At the same time, I secure, when required, a much shorter pitch, which in a
given number of teeth, of course meaus less diameter and weight of chain wheels.
These advantages I obtain by constructing the chain substantially as I will now
fully describe with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which similar
letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a piece of
chain constructed according to my invention.
Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of a portion of one of the links of the same
chain.
According to my said invention, I make each link of the chain of bifurcated
form, the connecting piece A being preferably cylindrical and situated at one end
of the legs C B, forming the bowl. Through the said bowls AI form, rivet or pin
holes D, Figs. 3 and 4, eccentric to the periphery of said bowls, and I thus obtain
a solid tie between the side links or legs B C and the larger diameter of the bowl,
still providing room at the sides of the bowl A for the legs B C of the succeeding
link to bear against each side of the bowl, and to come into the same plane as the
other links.
I preferably form the links in halves, they being divided vertically at the central
part of the bowl, and it is such a construction that is illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing; on the right hand side of Fig. 1, the section shews the rivets or
pins E, and the halves of the bowls are marked A and A¹ respectively, and it

page_text: is by forming the links thus that I am enabled to employ the shouldered rivets E
as shewn.
Each half link is precisely like any other half link, and at Fig. 3 one of such
half links is shewn detached, as it would appear upon its inner face, while Fig. 4 is
a similar view of the half link looking upon its exterior face. By the foregoing
construction of chain, a single link may be taken out or inserted, and the two ends
of the chain re-joined, while the chain constructed according to my invention is
neater in appearance than those hitherto made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Chains for driving velocipedes and other machinery, having each link
composed of two legs B C and a connecting piece or bowl A at one end thereof,
the rivet hole in the latter being eccentric with the bowl, and the said bowl being
recessed at each outer side to receive the ends of the legs of the next link,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The chains for driving velocipedes and other machinery, having each length
composed of two legs B C and a bowl or connecting part divided vertically, the
rivet hole through the divided bowl being eccentric with the latter, and the bowl
being recessed at each outer side to receive the ends of the legs of the next link,
each half link being precisely similar to any other half link, all substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
3. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts composing
the improved driving chain for velocipedes or other machinery substantially as
described.
DL: 10th T..1 1000
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.