An Improved Chain and Machinery for the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Chain and Machinery for the Manufacture
of the same.
I, JAMES BASSNETT ATHERTON of Manhattan, Rainhill in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the Patent taken out by Henry Harris Lake, a communication from the
Bridgeport Chain Co. No. 1063 the ends of the wire after it is formed into the
link are shaved off by means of a tool moving towards the horse shoe end of
the link. By this means the bend given to the ends is slightly straightened out,
and the link is weakened. Now I overcome this difficulty by not cutting the ends
at all but bringing a tool either revolving, reciprocating or sliding against the
backs of these ends and pressing them in the opposite direction, that is away from
the horse-shoe end of the link. By these means the two ends of the link are bent
down into the circular portion of the said link which is wound round its neighbour
and thus they cannot catch on anything, while at the same time they receive an
additional bend, greatly increasing the strength of the link and preventing it from
straightening out and thus separating from its neighbour under intense strain.
Dated the 6th day of October 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Chain and Machinery for the Manufacture
of the same.
I, JAMES BASSNETT ATHERTON, of Manhattan, Rainhill, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved chain and machinery for the manufacture of
the same.
The object of my said invention is to construct improvements applicable to such
machines as are described in the Specification of prior Letters Patent No. 1063 of
A.D. 1892 granted to Henry Harris Lake, in order to enable such machines to form
a weldless chain in which the ends of each length of wire forming a link are twined
or bent upon themselves to a greater extent than has hitherto been customary in
such a chain, and are not shaved off in the manner described in the aforesaid prior
Letters Patent. By thus twining or bending the said ends I strengthen the pair of
loops at one end of each link against any tendency to untwist or unbend, or to catch
on anything.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a chain-making machine including
improvements according to this invention,
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a detail of the machine shown in Figure 1,
Figures 3 and 4 are views of a detail of Figure 1 in positions at right angles to
each other.
Like reference-letters indicate corresponding varts throughout the drawings.

page_text: A is the framing of the machine. A¹ A' are extensions or brackets thereon.
B is a spindle which turns in bearings in the said extensions or brackets A¹ A³.
C is a sprocket wheel fixed upon the spindle B, to receive the chain after the
principal operations of its formation are completed. D is a ratchet wheel fixed
upon the spindle B. E is a notched wheel, also fixed upon the spindle B for a
purpose hereinafter set forth. F is a lever pivoted at F¹ to the extension A¹; the
said lever is provided with a pawl F at its lower end and receives an oscillatory
movement about the pivot F' from any suitable moving part of the machine. The
pawl F engages with the ratchet wheel D. A lever G pivoted at G¹ to the frame,
is provided with arms G' G'; the arm G2 extends upward, as shown, into the path
of an anti-friction roller H carried at the end of a reciprocating slide H'. I is a
spring to keep the arm G2 of the lever G in contact with the roller H; one end of
the spring is connected to the said lever, and the other end is connected to a
suitable part of the framing of the machine. The arm G³ is provided with pro-
jections JJ for a purpose hereinafter explained. K is a lever pivoted at K to
the bracket A2 and connected at its upper end to the lever G, from which it
receives oscillatory movement by means of the link L. The lower end of the
lever K is provided, as shown in Figure 2, with a central ridge K³ on each side
of which is a surface K' curved to fit the wire of which the chains are formed.
Instead of employing a lever such as the lever K to bend the wire as
aforesaid, I may employ for the same purpose a reciprocating or revolving tool
suitably operated. M M are links nearly completed. M° M° are completed
*links.
The portions M' of the said links M have hitherto been cut off, but, according
to the present invention, are lapped closely upon the contiguous parts of the link
as shown in Figures 3 and 4, to strengthen the chain as aforesaid.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the said improved mechanism :—
The lever F is oscillated and the pawl F imparts an intermittent rotary movement
to the ratchet wheel D so that the wheels C and E are also rotated intermittently
in the direction of the arrow Figures 1, 3, and 4; the wheel C, in each movement,
brings a link M° into proximity to the lower end of the lever K. During the
interval which elapses between each successive movement of the wheel C the
lever G is moved in the direction of the arrow thereon in Figure 1, and the arm G'
thereof carries the projection J' into one of the notches of the wheel E to hold the
wheels C and D stationary, and simultaneously presses the projection J' upon the
eyes of the link which is to be operated on. Thus the said link and the chain are
made immovable and the lever K is operated by the link L so that at the moment
that the projections J and J' lock the wheels and chain as aforesaid the ridge K*
at the lower end of the said lever K enters between the pairs of ends M¹ of the
link, and the surfaces K' bend the said ends over the contiguous parts of the link,
finishing their manufacture. When the bending of the said ends M₁ is thus com-
pleted the lever G returns in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow
thereon in Figure 1, and the arm G' thereof raises the projections J and J', to
release the wheel E and the chain, and removes the lower end of the lever K from
the chain by the action of the link L. The lever F then operates the wheels C, D
and E as before, and another link is brought into readiness to be operated upon;
the completed links M° being delivered onward as shown.
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. In the manufacture of weldless chain, the method whereby the manufacture
of an improved type of link is completed, substantially as herein before described
for the purpose specified.
2. The apparatus for completing the manufacture of each link of the chain,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

page_text: 3. An improved chain, the manufacture of which is completed by a method
substantially such as is herein before described.
Dated this 26th day of May 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.