IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINKED CHAINS AND IN MEANS OR 13
Year: 1871

page_text: J1:2
LETTERS PATENT to Heinrich Witzenmann, Manufacturer of Jewelry,
at-Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of Baden, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINKED CHAINS AND IN MEANS OR
13
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Heinrich Witzenmann
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
LA
on the 2nd December 1871.
1.
I, HEINRICH WITZENMANN, Manufacturer of Jewelry, at Pforzheim,
Grand Duchy of Baden, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LINKED CHAINS AND
IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
For the purpose of this manufacture. I. make use of metallic wire,
such as gold or any other appropriate metal, which I first flatten by
passing it through- a pair of rolls and then bring under a threefold
punch, which punches out the hollow part of a straight link, rounds,
!

page_text: down its straight stems or sides, and detaches it finally from the
flattened, wire. These three operations are performed simultaneously
by a single descent of the punch, but each operation is performed on
a separate link, so that although three operations are performed at one
stroke each individual link has to be struck three time successively. A
pawl actuated by a to-and-fro motion advances the flattened wire during
the upstroke of the punch a. distance equal to the length of the link.
These links (previously annealed if requisite) are then threaded on a wire
or flat band and presented to the machine, which works them into a
chain in the following manner: -The bottom link of the pile is brought
by means of a sliding plate to that, part of the machine where the
chain is formed, and it is threaded in the upright extremities of the
two last links worked in. Two points are then pressed into the link,
one at each extremity, for the purpose of enlarging said links at those
parts. After the withdrawal of these two points a blade descends on
the centre of the link and bends its two extremities, upwards, and
on the withdrawal of this blade a single point or stem is advanced
through the two enlarged extremities of the two last links worked in,
in order that on its withdrawal the succeeding link fed forward will
enter said extremities readily to be operated upon in the same manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Heinrich Witzenmann in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th-March 1872..
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TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HEINRICH
WITZENMANN, Manufacturer of Jewelry, at Pforzheim, Grand Duchy of
Baden, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-.
fifth year of Her reign; did; for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give-
and grant unto me, the said Heinrich Witzenmann, Her special licence-
that the said Heinrich Witzenmann; my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Heinrich Witzenmann, my

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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 LINKED CHAINS AND IN MEANS OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED
THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Heinrich
Witzenmann, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Heinrich Witzenmann, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say
▸.
316
For the purpose of this manufacture I make use of a metallic wire,
such as gold or any other appropriate metal, which I first flatten by
passing it through a pair of rolls and then bring under a threefold
punch, which punches out the hollow part of a straight link, rounds
down its straight stems or sides, and detaches it, finally from the
flattened wire. These three operations are performed simultaneously
by a single descent of the punch, but each operation is performed on
a separate link, so that although three operations are performed at one
stroke cach individual link has to be struck three times, successively.
A pawl actuated by a to-and-fro motion advances the flattened wire
during the upstroke of the punch a distance equal to the length of the
link. These links, previously annealed if requisite, are then threaded.
on a wire or flat band and presented to the machine which works them
into a chain in the following manner: The bottom link of the pile
is brought by means of a sliding plate to that part of the machine where
the chain is formed, and it is threaded in the upright extremities of
the two last links worked in. Two points are then pressed into the link,
one at each extremity, for the purpose of enlarging said links at those
parts. After the withdrawal of these two points a blade. descends on
the centre of the link and bends its two extremitics upwards, and
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page_text: on the withdrawal of this blade, a single point or stem is advanced
through the two enlarged extremities of the two last links worked in
in order that on its withdrawal the succeeding link fed forward twill
enter said extremities readily to be operated-upon in the same manner.
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And in order that my. improvements. be clearly understood, I will
proceed to describe them conjointly, with the eleven Figures of the
two Sheets of the accompanying Drawings, of which Figures. 1 to 8,
Sheet 1, have reference to the first part of my improvements,, that
is to say, to the punching of the links, and Figures 1 to 3, Sheet 2,
represent my improved machine for forming the chain.
J.
In Sheet 1, Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a lateral elevation in section
through A, A, Figure 1; and Figure 3.a back elevation of the machine
I have invented for this purpose: Figure 4 is a longitudinal elevation
of the triple punch in section through E, E, Figures 5, 6, and 74; Figures
5, 6, and 7, three transverse sections through B; B, C, C, and D, D;
respectively of the same; and Figure 8 a plan of tlic metallic strip
shewing its conversion into links; these five-last Figures being on an
enlarged scale. This
This little machine accomplishes its work by means of
two movements which are, in the first place, an alternating horizontal
motion which feeds-forward the metallic strip out of which are cut the
links; and, secondly, an alternating vertical motion actuating the dies
which cut out the links.****
4
a is the main shaft which is set in motion either by hand or by steam
power, and on which are mounted two cams b and c for feeding the
metallic strip, and a third cam d for working the punch, the metallic
strip being placed as represented in red. The tooth e causes it to advance
with each rotation of the shaft the length of a link To this end the
cam 6 pushes back the upper extremity of the lever f hung at
and this causes the required advancement by means of the said tooth
attached, to the arm articulated to the lower extremity of the lever f.
In order to prevent the metallic strip being also drawn back by the
-return of the tooth the cam-c intervenes, and by means of the lever j
pivoting in elevates the said tooth and maintains it thus until it be
called again into operation, and in order to regulate the length of the
feed and consequently that of the link, I make use of a thumbscrew
mounted on the top arm of the lever f, and whose point or extremity
T

page_text: butts against the framing m: The length of the stroke of the tooth
is diminished or augmented by turning this screw either in or out; 'a
large button, correctly divided serves to regulate this operation with
the greatest precision. The cam.d elevates and lowers the die holder p
at the lower extremity of which is attached the triple instrument or
punch: This instrument is subdivided in three parts, the first consisting
of a punch q, which cuts out the open space in the link; the second
consisting of a pair of compressing dies r, r, employed for rounding off
the sides or arms of the links; and the third, of a cutter 8, which
-detaches each separate link from the metallic strip: Each link, as is
thus shown, is made by means of three successive operations, but as
they are all simultaneously effected on three different links at the same
time, it follows that on cach descent of the tool a link is completely
finished' and cut off.
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1.
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1
:
74.
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1
In Sheet 2, the Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent respectively a plan;
a lateral elevation, and an end elevation of the machine, serving to unite-
together the links thus formed in order to produce a chain. In these
views, dis the, driving shaft turning in the direction of the arrow;
Figure, 3, and on which are keyed the cams ef, and and the
excentric, which impart the requisite motions to the machine. These
motions are, firstly, the successive feeding forward of the links to the spot
where the chain is manufactured; secondly, the simultaneous opening or
enlargement of the two extremities of the link; thirdly, the bending up
of the link so that its extremities stand up at right angles or nearly so;
and, fourthly, the introduction of a pin. into these two extremities as
well as in those of the link previously laid, in order to adjust their
positions in such a manner that the succeeding link advanced by the
feed motion may enter the same readily. At each rotation of the
shaft d effected by hand or by steam power a link is added to the chain
by the action of these four motion's in the following order:
Feed Motion The blade e which is fixed in the lead of the lever e¹
working on its centre e by the action of its cam e³ pushes the lowest
link in the feed pipe over the spot where the chain is manufactured and
then returns to its original position. The link thus brought forward will
have penetrated into the extremities of the two last links added to the
chain, and before the other working parts come into play a steadying
pin attached to the upper extremity of the lever foscillating at f

page_text: by the action of the cam
slides on the upper surface of the link
on.
in order to maintain it stationary during the next operation..
-7
Opening or Enlargement of the Two Extremities of the Link.—The fork
g'attached to the arm of the slide actuated by the excentric grises,
and as each branch penetrates into one end of the link the same is
thus enlarged. The fork then re-descends clear of the link, and the
steadying pin withdraws laterally, thus leaving the upper surface of
the link free.
**
Bending up of the Link. The upper arm g of the slide, g provided
with the blade descending with the fork by the same motion of the
excentric presses on the link with sufficient force to cause its extremities
to rise up, vertically or nearly so, and then re-ascends to. its primitive
position; this pressure on the link causes at the samo time the wrought
part of the chain to descend through the table the thickness of one
link.,
Rectification of the Upright Extremities of the Two Last Links Laid
The horizontal-pini fixed in the upper part of tlic lever oscillating
at by the action of its cam penetrates into tlie upright extremities
of the two last links laid, and then retires. *This completes the addition
of one link to the chain.
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Having thus explained the nature of my improvements, I claim as my
Invention,
Firstly. The mechanism above described for the feeding-forward of
the strip of metal.
Secondly. The mechanical parts and arrangement for cutting out,
rounding, and cutting off the links from the said strip.
Thirdly: The superplacing of the links in a feed pipe conjointly with.
the feed motion parts above mentioned.
-
Fourthly. The use of steadying pin above described, conjointly with
the fork, and its concomitant parts for the purpose of enlarging the
extremities of the links, as well as the blade attached to the-same-slide-
· for the purpose of bending the links.
Fifthly. The horizontal pin and accessory parts for the purpose above
described of rectifying the positions of the extremities of the two last

page_text: And, sixthly. The construction of machine with its driving shaft
below, and the cams and eccentric keyed on the same, and from which
all the requisite motions of the machine are derived.
In witness whereof, I, the said Heinrich Witzenmann, have here-
untó set my hand and seal, this. Twenty-first day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
F. SENECA.
H. WITZENMANN. (L.S.)