IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Noad, of Richmond Works and Saw Mills, Plaistow,
in the County of Essex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS."
P
Sealed the 5th July 1878, and dated the 15th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Noad at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1878.
JAMES NOAD, of Richmond Works and Saw Mills, Plaistow, in the County of
Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of chains.
I manufacture steel chains by casting.
The metal which I employ for casting chains is such as is prepared by the
processes described in the Specifications of former Patents granted to ine, Nos.
142274 and 5927. I first cast a number of separate links in steel chills or moulds,
each chill or mould having a hollow in it corresponding to half a link divided
longitudinally. I next prepare another set of steel chills or moulds; these are all
similar the one to the other, and in each there are hollows corresponding in form to
portions of three of the links of the chain which it is desired to produce. These
chills shut together in pairs, and when so shut together, they enclose a cavity of a
length corresponding to that which each link adds to the length of the chain.
Being provided with a number of such chills or moulds, I set them up as
follows: One half of the total number of chills I employ by placing in them the
separate links previously cast, and between each pair of chills so filled I place a

page_text: pair of empty chills, also shut together, but standing at right angles to the chills
which already hold links. The links will now project on either side from the chills
in which they are held, and protrude a short way into the cavities in the inter-
mediate chills, leaving unfilled spaces exactly corresponding to the intermediate
links required to complete the chain. The series of chills having been locked
together, both endwise and transversely melted, steel is poured in by suitable
gates" left in the chills for the purpose, and the chain is removed from the mould
complete with the exception of annealing which is performed by heating the chain
and allowing it to cool more or less gradually.
In making chains of large size I sometimes proceed differently, and cast them
link by link in the following manner:- -The last link already completed is held
between a pair of chills similar to those described above, and on these I place
another pair, which when placed on the holding chills and shut together, enclose a
The chills are then
cavity corresponding to another complete link which is cast.
opened, and the newly cast link is transferred to the holding chills, and afterwards
another link interlocking with this link is cast, and so on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Noad in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th July
1878.
JAMES NOAD, of Richmond Works and Saw Mills, Plaistow, in the County of
Essex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of chains.
I manufacture steel chains by casting.
The metal which I employ for casting chains is such as is prepared by the process
described in the Specifications of former Patents granted to me, No. 14227 and 5927,
but the method of producing chains which I now proceed to describe is applicable
to the production of chains from other metal.
I first cast a number of separate links in steel chills or moulds, each chill or mould
having a hollow in it corresponding to half a link divided longitudinally. I next
prepare another set of steel chills or moulds; these are all similar the one to the
other, and in each there are hollows corresponding in form to portions of three of
the links of the chain which it is desired to produce. These chills shut together in
pairs, and when so shut together, they enclose a cavity of a length corresponding to
that which each link adds to the length of the chain. Being provided with a
number of such chills or moulds, I set them up as follows:-One half of the total
number of chills I employ by placing in them the separate links previously cast, and
between each pair of chills so fitted I place a pair of empty chills, also shut

page_text: together, but standing at right angles to the chills which already hold links. The
links will now project on either side from the chills in which they are held, and
protrude a short way into the cavities in the intermediate chills, leaving unfilled
spaces exactly corresponding to the intermediate links required to complete the
chain. The series of chills having been locked together, both endwise and trans-
versely, melted steel is poured in by suitable " gates left in the chills for the
purpose, and the chain is removed from the mould complete, with the exception of
annealing, which is performed by heating the chain and allowing it to cool more or
less gradually.
In making chains of large size I sometimes proceed differently, and cast them
link by link in the following manner: The last link already completed is held
between a pair of chills similar to those described above, and on these I place
another pair, which when placed on the holding chills and shut together, enclose a
cavity corresponding to another complete link which is cast. The chills are then
opened, and the newly cast link is transferred to the holding chills, and afterwards
another link interlocking with this link is cast, and so on.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side view; Figure 2 is a front view of a steel chill or portion of a
mould, such as I employ when producing chains by casting intermediate links con-
necting other separate links previously cast; Figure 3 is a longitudinal section
taken on the line 1, 1, in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 2, 2,
in Figure 2.
Figure 5 shows in elevation, and Figure 6 in plan the way in which these chills
are set up for casting. The pairs of chills marked A, A, contain the links already
separately cast. The ends of these links project out from the chills on either side,
and enter between the chills marked B, B, which are arranged in pairs alternately
with the pairs marked A, A.
At the end of the series in Figures 5 and 6, the mould is left open in order that
the arrangement may more clearly appear, a chill A and a chill B being removed,
the separate link is seen resting within the other chill A of the pair. The open
cavity in the remaining chill B to receive the molten metal is also seen whilst the
intermediate recesses are seen to be filled by the projecting ends of two separate
links. The chills having been securely fixed in their places, the melted metal is
poured in at the get holes marked C, and forms the new links connecting up those
in the chills A, A, into a complete chain, which, if of steel, requires to be annealed to
render it fit for use.
When the chain is of large size, I cast it link, by link, working from the end.
Figure 7 is a front elevation, and Figure 8 is a plan of one of a pair of chills such
as I employ when casting chains in this manner. Figure 9 is a longitudinal section
taken on the line 3, 3, in Figure 8. The last link of the chain is held between
holders identical in form with the chills represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
chills, Figures 7, 8, and 9 being shut together, the holders are brought up against
them, and there securely held with a portion of the end link of the chain projecting
from the holders entering the cavity marked D in the chills. The metal is then
run in at the get hole E, and so a new link is cast on to the end of the chain.
The
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The manufacture of steel chains by casting, substantially in the manner
described, steel produced in accordance with the Specifications of my former Patents
herein-before referred to.

page_text: Second. The production of chains by casting in chills, such as herein described,
and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Noad, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
"