Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chains.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 29th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chains.
We, ALFRED MASION, of 88, Rue Dautzenberg, Brussels, and EMILE GOBBE, of
Jumet, both in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows
Weldless chains are at present made by operating upon a bar of metal (which
must necessarily be limited in length) so as to remove the parts necessary to
form, and separate, the links The separation of the links necessitates the use
of special and complicated tools. The links then have to be operated upon to
remove the extraneous parts This series of operations necessitates the frequent
re-heating of the work and the method of manufacture 18 very difficult and
expensive and it has the disadvantage that but a limited length (viz length
equal to that of the bar of metal employed) of chain can be produced without
having to have at intervals links connected by some means such as welding or
soldering.
A further drawback is that the process is not applicable to the manufacture of
Iron chains because iron chains made by this process would not receive the
working stresses in the direction of the fibres, or texture, of the metal
The object of our invention is to overcome these objections.
According to our said invention a metal plate, strip, or wire, (we will refer
to it as a strip) 18 rolled up whilst it is caused to pass through the link last
formed, the convolutions of the strip thus rolled up forming a link If the
convolutions be welded or soldered together, links of a homogeneous character
will be formed, but the links can be finished without welding or soldering if
desired In this manner chains of any desired length can be made
The rolling up of the strips can be effected whilst the strip is either heated
or cold and in the latter case heating can be resorted to after the rolling up
operation. The hot rolling up is necessary when plates, strips, or wires of non-
flexible character and of large dimensions are employed for making the links
The cold rolling is applicable especially in using wires, and in this case the
wire to be rolled up should be thoroughly cleaned and electricity is preferably used
for the purpose of raising the link, thus formed by the cold process, to the weld-
ing or soldering temperature The welding or soldering heat may be limited to
the outer convolutions, so that the inner convolutions of the links are not welded
or soldered together If the convolutions be left unconnected the chains produced
have the advantages of a chain and a cable, that is to say, great strength, lightness
and flexibility. In order to secure the several convolutions of each link to each
other, any suitable metal more fusible than the metal of the links may be used
For example the steel wire may be passed into a bath of molten zinc, prior
to rolling up the wire to form the links, the rolling apparatus being placed
sufficiently near to the bath to prevent the zine becoming solidified before the
rolling takes place On the bare wire may be first rolled up into the form of
links and the chain produced be immersed in a zinc bath, and allowed to remain
therein sufficiently long to enable the zinc to penetrate all the spaces between
the res

page_text: Instead of molten sine other suitable material may be used for instance, plum-
bers' folder or a vitrifiable mixture such as is used for enamelling metals, oi
the wue may have applied to it a soldering paste, on the chuin te immersed in
a bath containing a soldering material and then be heated to a soldering heat.
Soldering is not of course so strong as welding, but it will be sufficient for
retaining the stips on wes in position and for giving the strength for traction
or other work
'
The apparatus employed for carrying out the invention may consist of a central
shaft or cylinder caying a 1ng which revolves upon the end of the cylinder
to effect the rolling up of the strip to form the links. The cylinder has a recess
As the
and the ring has an opening, in which the link last formed is received
ring revolves it passes through this link and carries the strip with it and conse-
quently the new link thus formed upon the ring is engaged with the link
previously formed When the link has thus been formed it 18 1emoved from
the ring and put in place for having another link formed in it, and so on until
a chain of any required length 18 produced It can be made of non or any
other suitable metal or allov
In operating on heated strips the opening of the 1ing can be closed (after the
link in which the new link is to be formed has been put in place) by means of
a hinged or other suitable piece which may serve also for gripping the end of
the strip to be rolled up. Revolving motion can be impaited to the ring by
contact with a lower cylinder which is duiven by any suitable means, there
being another cylinder above The three cylinders are in contact when the
operation is commenced. The middle and upper cylinders are necessarily lifted
in proportion as the metal is rolled up As the stmp to be rolled up is placed
between the lower cylinder and the ing, and 18 hooked to the latter, and as the
requisite compression 18 imparted by the upper cylinder, the revolving motion
given to the lower cylinder will cause the ring to evolve and the stip to be
rolled up.
The required pressure 18 imparted by the upper cylinder either by its own
weight alone or with the aid of springs or weights
The evolving motion may be imparted directly to the ing by providing it
for example with a toothed wheel upon its outer face, and providing a driving
gear wheel to engage with it or by any other suitable means.
The compressing cylinders may have grooves rectangular in cross section for
links of square section which can be afterwards reduced to a circular or oval
section by pressing, stamping or otherwise.
By using a 1ing having a semi-encula groove and made in parts (to permit
of the link being released) and compiessing evlinders with corresponding semi-
coula recesses, links of circulai section can be duectly produced and in this
case two middle evlinders arranged in line with one another may be employed
each of them carrying half of the ring.
If a grooved ing be emploved the compression and the actuation may be
effected by a rule or slide of decreasing section, the larger part of which would
engage with the free section of the groove A tangent cylinder or tangent
cylinders may however be used furnished with teeth at the edges which come in
contact with the ring
When the ing is flat the rolling up of the stip is guided on the one hand
by the grooves of the tangent cylinders and on the other hand by a flange on ear
canied by the middle cylinder The 11ng 18 securely held in position real-
wardly by the end of the cylinder and in front by a sector passed over a projection
from the middle cylinder and retained in position by a pin or cottei. When
mounting the ing in acting on heated metal, it can be placed in a complete
groove in the middle cylinder In order to reduce friction and to facilitate
the evolving motion of the ring the contact between it and the middle cylinder
can be reduced by forming the opposed faces so that they do not' bea. cn each
other throughout the whole extent.

page_text: The releasing of the rolled link may be effected in various ways for example
by removing it fiom in front of the middle cylinder after having disengaged
it from the grooves of the other cylinders by withdrawing them or by with-
diawing from right to left the middle cylinder which as it is moved away with
the ring will release the link.
When the link has been disengaged from the ring the said ring is opened
in order to disengage it from the link which it has just formed.
The compressing action of the tangent cylinders may of course be substituted
by a hammering action which can be effected by a stamp or the like of a shape
to suit the cross section of link required
The apparatus may also be modified by arranging the middle cylinder vertically
causing it to emerge from an anvil-block in such a manner, that the rolling
up is effected above this block and compressing or hammering by a stamp which
may form a matrix
The manufacture of chains with links of circular section may be facilitated
by using a metal' plate of variable section which, as it 18 rolled up, will make
links of, or approximately of, cncular section.
An apparatus for use in rolling up wire to form the links may be composed
of a rolling ring or roller made in two parts which can be separated from each
other to liberate the link rolled up upon the said ring or roller Each of the
parts of the ing or 1oller 18 furnished with an opening to the previously formed
link, and with a cential groove, in which this link is seated during the revolution
of the ring or 1oller The two parts of the said ng or rolle are situated
between guide cylinders the flanges of which maintain the two parts in position
against each other. Pins seive for centering the said two parts. By imparting
1otary motion to the guide cylinders they actuate the winding ng or roller.
Contact or friction gearing may be provided, as required The end of the
wire 18 guipped between the two parts of the ing on oller, and is wound up
in the groove thereof whilst the cucular outer surface of this said 11mg or 1ollei
remains in permanent contact with the guide cylinders, the grooves in which
are semi-circular, in order to guide the wue and to cause the link to assume
the requisite shape.
When the rolled up we completely fills the grooves of the ring or roller
and the guide cylinders, the rolling operation is stopped the wue is cut off and
the upper guide cylinder is lifted up (its shaft being arranged to allow of this)
and the 1olling ing is released and the link withdrawn
Dated the 90th day of Bosomy 1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Chains.
We, ALFRED MASION, of 88, Rue Dautzenberg, Brussels, and EMILE GOBBE, of
Jumet, both in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what mauner the same is to be performed to be particu-
laily described and ascertained in and by the following statement
-
Weldless chains are at present made by operating upon a bar of metal (which.
must necessarily be limited in length) so as to remove the parts necessary to
form, and separate, the links. The separation of the links necessitates the
use of special and complicated tools The links then have to be operated upon
to remove the extraneous parts This series of operations necessitates the
frequent reheating of the work and the method of manufacture 18 very difficult

page_text: and expensive and it has the disadvantage that but a limited length, (viz
length equal to that of the bar of metal employed) of chain can be produced
without having to have at intervals links connected by some means such as
welding or soldering.
A further diawback is that the process is not applicable to the manufacture
of on chains because on chains made by this process, would not receive the
working stresses, in the direction of the fibres, oi texture, of the metal
The object of our invention is to overcome these objections
According to our said invention a metal plate, strip, or wire, (we will refer
to it as a strip) 18 rolled up whilst it is caused to pass through the link last
formed, the convolutions or coils of the slip thus iolled up forming a link.
If the convolutions be welded or soldered together, links of a homogeneous
character will be formed
In this manner chains of any desired length can be made
The idea of thus forming chain links by rolling up metal strips has already
been described and claimed but the inventors have generally only indicated
a process for passing the said strip several times through a link without describ-
ing apparatus for enabling the manufacture of chains to be properly caned out.
As an example we may refer to the Buitish Patent No. 3127 of 1889 which
describes apparatus for preparing helical coils from the strips which are then
passed through the preceding link, the coils being then pressed together 80
as to form a new link In no case has apparatus been described enabling
the rolling up of the strip to be effected in the previous 1ing so as to form
chains of the proper proportions between the sections of the links and their
internal diameters
It is not difficult to provide 1olling up apparatus if the link is to be made of
a large diameter such as a d (Fig 1) as compared with the thickness a b of the
link But if with the same thickness ab of link the diameter thereof be reduced
to say ca (Fig 2) the difhculty is greater and this is further increased if the form
of an ellipse (Fig. 3) be desired for the link
= 3 5 e
The dimensions for chain links that have been generally adopted are D
and d16e (Fig 3) and include types for use with toothed pullies of winches
capstans and the like'
=
Rolling up apparatus have been devised for making chains but these have
not been found useful for practical purposes, and with regard to these processes
the proportions which should exist between the three dimensions e d D were
not considered in the manufacture of the links, and they could not afterwards
be obtained by deformation
We have devised means for effecting the welding or soldering of the successive
convolutions during their 1olling up, the said rolling taking place under pressure
and while the metal is at a high temperature This arrangement differs from
those already known in which the rolling has been kept separate from the weld-
ing or soldering process which latter requnes the introduction of a foreign
material between the surfaces of the metal, for if the strips on the like to be
welded or soldered have already been superposed before being submitted to the
heating process the heat would only enter with difficulty between the surfaces
to be united.
Under these conditions an entuely homogeneous weld could not easily be
obtained, especially in chains of large dimensions, whereas by this invention
heat and pressure are employed during the rolling process whereby we effect a
true rolling or lamination and uniting of the several convolutions and produce
links homogeneous in section
In Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings we have shewn in elevation partly
in section and in Figs 5 and 6 in sections at 1ight angles to each othei
mechanism adapted for making chains from metal plates on strips which are
previously heated.
The apparatus consists of a central shaft or cylinder C carrying a ring B

page_text: which revolves upon the end of the cylinder C to effect the rolling up of the
strip to form the links. The cylinder C has a recess and the ring B has an
opening in which the link G last formed is received. As the ring B revolves
it passes through this link and caries the stip with it and consequently the
new link thus formed upon the ring B is engaged with the link G. When the
link has thus been formed it is removed from the 1ing B and put in place for
having another link G formed in it, and so on until a chain of any required
length is produced It can be made of iron or any other suitable metal or
alloy.
In operating on heated strips the opening D of the ing B can be closed
(after the link G in which the new link is to be formed has been put in place)
by means of a hinged, or other suitable, piece which may serve also for gripping
the end of the strip to be rolled up.
Revolving motion 18 imparted to the 1ng B by contact with a lower cylinder F
(there being another cylinder E above) which is driven by any suitable means.
The three cylinders C, E, F, are in contact when the operation 18 commenced
The cylinders C and E are necessarily lifted in proportion as the metal is 1olled
up. As the stip to be rolled up is placed between the cylinder F and the ring B,
and 18 hooked to the latter, and as the requisite compression 18 imparted by
the upper cylinder E, the revolving motion given to the cylinder F will cause
the ng B to evolve and the strip to be rolled up
If one or both of the tangent cylinders be caused to revolve at a higher
speed than the ing B the strip will have a natural tendency to roll up round
the said ing without the need of being hooked or otherwise fastened thereto
The equued pressure is imparted by the upper cylinder E either by its own
weight alone or with the aid of springs on weights
The revolving motion may be impaited duectly to the 1ng B by providing
it for example with a toothed wheel upon its outer face, and providing a diving
gear wheel to engage with it or by any other suitable means.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 4, 5 and 6 the compressing cylinders
have grooves rectangular in cross section, for links of squate section, which
can be afterwards reduced to a circular or oval section by piessing, stamping
or otherwise.
By using a 1ing having a semi-circulai groove, and made in parts (to permit
of the link being released) and compressing cylinders with corresponding semi-
cicular recesses, links of circulai seotion can be directly produced and, in this
case, two middle cylinders arranged in line with one another may be employed
each of them carrying half of the ling
If a grooved ing be employed the compression and the actuation may be
effected by a slide bar so formed that its side facing the ing presents C1089
sections corresponding to those of the compressor cylinder shown in Figs 8, 9,
10 and 11 and its length is equal to the cucumference of the said cylinder
If such a bai be caused to bear on the aforesaid groove ing and to travel in
a direction tangential thereto it will cause the said 11ng to rotate and at the
same time affect the compression of the metal link being formed in the groove
of the said ring. With this arrangement of compressor bar constant contact
can be maintained with the link in process of formation without the need of
altering the horizontal plane in which the bar is caused to move as the rolling
proceeds.
A tangent cylinder or tangent cylinders may however be used
furnished with teeth at the edges which come in contact with the ring, or, a
compressing cylinder may be employed having a decreasing radius. Such a
cylinder would only make one evolution in the formation of a link and its
successive radi would be such that contact would always be kept between
the periphery of the cylinder and the gradually increasing coil as it is rolled up
on the ring The cucumference of the compressing cylinder should be equal
to the number of coils constituting the thickness of the link multiplied by the
length of these coils and the changes in the periphery of the cylinder should

page_text: le equal in number to that of the coils This compressor cylinder is shewn
in section at J in Fig 7, Figs 8, 9, 10 and 11 shew drawn to a large scale cioss
sections of the cylinder taken at I, II, III, IV, Fig 7 In like manner with
this aangement of compressor cylinder constant contact can be maintained
with the stip to be rolled up without the need of the aring of the axis of
1otation of the said cylinder as the rolling proceeds
When the ing B is flat, as shewn in the drawings, the rolling up of the stup
is guided on the one hand by the grooves of the tangent cylinders and on the
other hand by a flange on ear H (Figs 5 & 6) carried by the middle cylinder C.
The ing B 18 securely held in position reaiwaidly by an enlargement H on
the eslinder C and in front by sector S passed ovei a projection from the
cylinder and retained in position by a pin on cotter S
When mounting
the ring B in acting on heated metal it can be placed in a complete groove in
the middle cylinder In order to reduce friction and to facilitate the revolving
motion of the ing the contact between it and the cylinder C can be reduced
by forming the opposed faces so that they do not bear on each other throughout
then whole extent
The releasing of the rolled link may be effected in various ways for example
by removing it fiom in fiont of the cylinder C after having disengaged it from
the grooves of the cylinders E and F by withdiawing them or by withdrawing
from night to left (Fig 5) the cylinder C, which, as it 18 moved away with the
ring will release the link
The compressing action of the tangent cylinders may, of course, be substituted
by a hammering action which can be effected by a stamp or the like of a shape
to suit the cross section of link required.
The apparatus may also be modified by ananging the middle cylinder C
vertically, causing it to emerge from an anvil-block in such a manner, that
the rolling up 18 effected above this block and compressing or hammering by
a stamp which may form a matrix.
Figs 12, 13 and 14 shew such an arrangement of apparatus with tooth gearing
for engaging the 11ng B, Fig. 12 being a vertical section on the line I I, Fig 14,
Fig 13, is a vertical section on the line II II, Fig 14 and Fig 14 a horizontal
section on the line III III Fig 12, C is the middle shaft mounted on the anvil
block R, B is the ing provided with teeth on its upper periphery, A is the link
in the process of being formed, G is the last formed link, T 18 the stamp and
U,U are toothed wheels engaging with and diving the ing B.
The manufacture of chains with links of cucular section may be facilitated
by using a metal plate of variable section, which, as it is 1olled up will make
links of, or approximately of circulai section
In Figs. 15 to 18 a modified arrangement is shewn according to our invention
for use in 1olling up we to form the links more especially such as are of
elliptical form but in this case the operation of welding or soldering is distinct
from that of 1olling, Figs. 15 and 16 being sections at right angles to each other
Fig 17 a section corresponding to Fig. 16 but taken though the major axis of
the ing on ollei 1 K, & Fig 18 a detached view of the said ring or roller.
The apparatus is composed of a rolling ing o1 roller made in two parts I
and K which can be separated from each other to liberate the link rolled up
upon the said ng or rolle Each of the parts I and K is furnished with an
opening for the previously formed link L, and with a cential groove, in which
this link L is seated during the revolution of the 11ng or 1oller. The two parts I
and K of the said ng or 1ollei are situated between guide cylinders M and P
and I the flanges of which maintain the two parts in position against each other.
Pins N seive for centering the said two parts. By imparting rotary motion
to the guide cylinders M P P they actuate the winding ring or roller I K
Contact or fiiction geating may be provided as required The end of the wire o
is gupped between the two parts of the ring or roller and is wound up in the
elliptical groove thereof whilst the circular outer surface of the said ring or

page_text: oller remains in permanent contact with the guide cylinders M P P¹ the grooves
in which are semi-cucular in order to guide the wire and to cause the link to
assume the requisite shape
When the rolled up wire completely fills the grooves of the ring or roller I K
and the guide cylinders M P P the rolling operation 18 stopped. The wie 18
cut off and the upper guide cylinder M 18 lifted up (its shaft being arranged
to allow of this) and the rolling ring is released and the link withdrawn
In the last form of apparatus which we have described when forming links
with steel strips or wire of thicker section the heating is effected after the 1olling
18 completed and 18 limited to the outside layer of metal so that the inner parts
Chains which
of the links of such chains remain formed of coils of metal wire.
are thus made with links non homogeneous in section possess superior powers of
resistance while in other respects and especially in the appearance they resemble
ordinary chains
The wines of links so formed may also be united by brazing or the like in
any well known mannel, for example by the use of copper filings and bolax,
a copper bath on a bath of molten zinc
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim 18:-
1. In the manufacture of chains the formation of each link of a number of
convolutions on coils of a metal plate, strip, oi wire passed through the pieceding
link the operation being effected with the application of heat and pressure so
as to obtain direct the complete soldering or welding of the successive convolu-
tions or coils substantially as and for the purposes herein before explained
2. Foi the manufacture of chains of the kind described in the first claim
apparatus comprising a ring B caused to rotate upon the end of a fixed shaft C
one or more compression 1ollers E and F, the 11ng B and the shaft C being each
provided with an opening for receiving the preceding link substantially as
herein before described with reference to Figs 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings
3 The modified arrangement for the manufacture of chains of the kind
described in which a stamp 1s used in place of the compression roller 01 1olle18
substantially as herein before described with reference to Figs 12, 13, and 14
of the accompanying drawings.
4 In the manufacture of chains of the kind described the modified form of
apparatus comprising a grooved ring and a compression bar or a grooved ing
and a compression cylinder of gradually decreasing radius substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by Figs 7 to 11 of the accompanying
drawings
5. In the manufacture of chains of the kind described more especially when
metal wire 18 employed for forming links preferably elliptical in shape which
are afterwards brazed or soldered, apparatus comprising a ring or 1oller formed
in two pieces I K provided with an opening for the passage of the preceding
link the said ng or 1oller being 1otated under the action of three rollers M P Pi
substantially as heieinbefore described with reference to Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 18
of the accompanying diawings
6. In the manufacture of chains of the kind described, obtained by the rolling
up of metal wires, soldering or welding the outer part only of the links 80
formed; as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Thated the 20th day of September 1899
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX.
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC, Agents