Year: 1888

page_text: I ROBERT JAMES RAE of 85 Gracechurch Street London Engineer, 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 has for its object the construction of Chain Shackles, uniform in
shape and size with the links of the chain with which they are to be used, and
capable of being attached thereto, and secured in a reliable manner, while through
not having any projecting parts, the said shackles are able to pass over pulleys,
through apertures or pipes, and otherwise, as freely as the rest of the chain.
The Invention is carried out as follows. The body of the shackle is composed of
two portions or halves, which are U shaped, and usually made so that they may be
joined together as shewn in Figs. 1. 2 and 3. of the drawings hereunto attached, and
respectively representing the plan of a shackle partly in section, a side elevation of
same, and a cross section at A. B. A socket or recess is formed in the end of one
foot or stem of each half of the shackle, the other stem of each being solid, and so
shaped as to match and fit into the aforesaid sockets, in order that when the two halves
are fitted one into the other, and drawn together, the shackle may resemble in form
an ordinary chain link. To secure the whole firmly together, the key a. a, made in
one or more pieces, is passed through both sockets, the stud or distance piece c. having
been first interposed, to afford support, and prevent the sides of the shackle collapsing
when subjected to severe lateral strain, a lock bolt or pin b. is provided to keep the
key in its place.
The sockets and stems are sometimes made as shewn in Fig. 4, or of other suitable
shapes or sections.
When desirable the method of joining the shackle together, may be varied, by forming
screws on the feet or stems of each half of the shackle, these being connected
and held together by means of movable screwed sockets or couplings. e. in the
manner illustrated by Figs. 5, 6 and 7, which represent a plan of the shackle
partly in section, a side elevation of same, and a cross section at C. D. In this
instance the stems d. on one half of the shackle are made long enough to allow
the coupling. e. to travel back till clear of the end of the stem, f. of the other
[Price 6d1

page_text: half, and thus enable the shackle to be opened sufficiently to detach, or secure, the
end of the chain, or the shackle may be joined in the manner shewn in Figs. 11,
12 and 13 comprising respectively, a plan partly in section, an elevation, and a cross
section of shackle at G. H. One of the joints is constructed in the form last
described, the other consisting of a screwed stem, g. on one half of the shackle made
so as to fit and screw into, a socket, h. formed in the corresponding stem of the
other half.
It is however sometimes preferred to make both stems of one half of the shackle
with a right handed thread or screw, and those on the other half shackle, with left
handed screws, as shewn in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the first mentioned being a plan
partly in section, the next an elevation, and the last a cross section at E. F. In
this case the screwed coupling, kis made right handed at one end to suit the
corresponding stem, i. and left handed at the other end to suit the stem, j. so that
by turning both couplings in one direction or the other, the halves of the shackle
will accordingly be drawn towards, or from each other.
To prevent both.couplings becoming detached from the shackle, when the latter is
opened, to let go, or secure, the chain end, one of the joints is made to differ from the
other, this is usually done by making the screwed stem 1. shorter than those in
the other joint, as shewn in Fig. 8, while in some cases, both stems may be made
shorter in one joint of the shackle than the other, or one of the screw couplings
is made shorter at one end than the other. Consequently it becomes possible to
open the shackle, and release one chain end, without completely detaching either.
coupling, while even to release the chains from each end of the shackle, only
needs the removal of one coupling. The operation of reclosing or securing the
shackle again, is greatly facilitated, by making the joints to differ in the manner
described, the longer coupling serving to draw the shackle together until the
shorter coupling is brought into action at both ends, whereupon both couplings
must necessarily be turned or operated in unison.
The stud or distance piece, c. shewn in Fig. 10 may be made of any other form
to suit the purpose of a stay between the couplings, and these latter may have flats
formed on them, so that they may be turned with a spanner, or otherwise.
It is obvious that the method of joining the shackle together, more especially as
shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, may be modified, as for instance by forming in the
ends of the stems, screwed recesses or sockets, made to fit and correspond with double
ended screws having one end made right, and the other end, left handed, the said
screws being operated by means of a suitably shaped collar provided for that
purpose.
"
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
The construction of chain shackles, the bodies thereof being made in parts, fitted
and secured together, substantially as herein described, and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.