Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON, of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to drive chain for various purposes such as the driving of
oycles, motor dredgers and machinery in general, and has for its object a long, light
and cheaply made chain.
One form of iny invention consists in employing a series of links formed together
by pinning and with the bottoms partially closed over by end webs or sheaths
coming inwards of the ears or pierced ends, and between which said covered over
parts, whose inward edges turn upwards and form piloting leads, the teeth of the
chain wheels come.
Thus each intermediato link consists of sides with pierced ends and solid bridging
webs coming between and crossing the bottom of the sides and with a middle space
or opening with leads or end or inner walls for taking over the teeth of wheel and t
forming as it were an open socket.
The alternate links are like the intermedinte ones, but with their ends set back
to form cars to take between the ends of the intermediate links and are then
connected together by rivets whilst the webs form stays or ties for the sides and
the turned in plates of the webs form distance blocks.
The open middles or gaps of the undersides are concaved.
In carrying out a further form, I make the chain up of a series of curved links
and of an inverted troughed cross section with the ends of the sides formed with
pierced ears, with the ears of one end set back or cranked so as to come knuckle-wise
within the adjacent end of the next link and so on. The liuks are united together
by u pin or rivet, which also passes joint-wise through curved blocks, fitted Interally
between the space at the ends of the links. The links themselves fcrm roofed or
sheathed openings or sockets which take upon the teeth of a wheel.
Thus, the chain consists of connected together inverted troughed and cambered
shaped links, with curved distance pieces coming laterally between the overlapping
ends of them aud with the whole rivetted up together by pins, and the whole of the
parts coming up close and soled at the joints.
The distances between the blocks which have semi-circular ends and concaved
undersides, forin the gaps (with leads) of the chain.
Dated this 29th day of August 1896.
JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 relates to drive chain for various purposes such as for the driving
of cycles, and motor cars, and for use in dredgers and machinery in general, and has
for its object a strong, light and cheaply made chain.
One form of my invention consists in employing a series of links joined together
by oross pins and with the tops covered in or closed over by webs or sheaths, and
between which said covered over parts, whose inward edges may turn upwards and
form piloting leads, the teeth of the chain wheels come.
Thus each intermediate link consists of two gapped sides with pierced eud
and solid bridging webs coining between and crossing from one to other of the sides
and with a middle space or opening which may have leads for taking over the teeth
of a wheel, thus forming as it were an open socket or trough.
The alternate links may be in the form of solid blocks, or they may be like the
intermediate ones, but with their ends set back to form eara which take between
the ends of the intermediate links and are then connected together by cross pins or
rivets, whilst the covering-in webs form stays or ties for the sides.
The inner edges of the side plates are coucaved.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents partly in vertical section aud
partly in eleration, a length of drive chain with the links constructed according to
the first described form of my invention.
Figure 2 shows the said length partly in underside plau and partly in horizontal
section.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the intermediate links separately.
Figure 4 is an underside plan of the same, and
Figure 5 a vertical section of Figure 3 upon the dotted line.
Figure 6 shows a plan and an edge view of the blank from which the said
intermediate link is formed and
Figure 7 represents an elevation and an edge view of one of the alternate block
links separately.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 7 of
the drawing.
a are the intermediate links, and the alternate ones, the former each consisting
of two side plates or cheeks a', having gaps or middle openings a, concaved inner
edges a and pierced ends a', through the holes in which, the joining-up pins or
rivets c, pass in connecting the series of alternate and intermediate links together.
The said side plates are connected together or bridged at their outer edges by
covering-over or closing-in plates or webs a', which extend the whole length of the
links and serve as a means for screening the working parts of the chain and the
teeth of the gear wheels, taking into the pockets or recesses a", of the links, from
dust, mud and the like.
The alternate links are in the form of solid blocks, having end piercings b',
through which and the holes in the pierced ends of the intermediate links, the pins
or rivets c, take.
It will be observed that the ends of the covering or bridging pieces of the
intermediate links overlap the alternate links to a considerable extent, and in
fact, nearly meet, thus forming an almost continuous screen throughout the

page_text: whole length of the chain for preventing dust or dirt gaining access to its.
working parts.
In carrying out a further form of my improvements, I make the chain up of a
series of curved links of an inverted troughed cross section with the ends of the
sides formed with pierced ears and with the ears of one end set back or oranked
so as to come knuckle-wise within the adjacent end of the next link and so on.
The links are united together by a pin or rivet, which also passes joint-wise-
through curved blocks, fitted laterally within the space between the ends of the
links. The links themselves form roofed or sheathed sockets which take upon the
teeth of a wheel,
Thus, this form of chain consists of connected together inverted troughed and
cambered shaped links, with curved distance pieces coming laterally between the-
overhanging ends of them, and with the whole of the parts rivetted up together by
pins, thus coming up close and shouldered at the joints.
The spaces between the tips of the rocking distance blocks, which have
semi-circular ends and concaved under-sides, form the gaps which take over the-
teeth of the chain wheels.
Figure 8 represents, partly in elovation and partly in vertical section, a length.
of this modified form of chain.
Figure 9 is an underside plan, with parts in horizontal section, of the same.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of one of the intermediate links and Figure 11 a.
topside plan thereof.
Figure 12 shows a plan and an edge view of the blank from which this
intermediate link is made.
Figure 13 is a vertical section of Figure 10 upon the dotted line r'.
Figure 14 is a side elevation and underside plan of the rocking distance block
separately, and Figure 15 shows like views of a modified form of distance block
having stops on its back edge.
In Figures 8 to 14 a are the curved and trough sectioned links, which are all of
the same pattern, and each consist of side plates a' bridged over and covered in by
top plates or dust-screens a, extending from one of the outer edges a' to the other,.
and having pairs of opposite ears a, a' at their ends, both pierced with holes a¹0,
wherethrough the joining-up rivets are directed, whilst the pair as, at one end
are crauked inwards at a", in order that the same may lie betweou the ears a', at
the adjacent ends of the next link, which latter ears are preferably at the same.
distance apart as the bodies of the side plates.
d are the swinging or rocking distance blocks, one of which is threaded by means
of the hole d, upon the rivet c, uniting the contignous ends of two adjacent links,.
and has a concaved bearing surface d', aud rounded ends d³.
In the modified form of distance block shown in Figure 15, the back edge of the
same has a pair of extensions or stope d' which, by coming against the inside top
of the links, prevent the block rocking to too great an angle.
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 :-
First. In drive chain, making the intermediate links from sheet metal and of a
trough or cross section with the sides gapped, and with the covered-in outer aides
standing above and overlapping the ends of the alternate links, so that the ends of
the said covering in sides nearly meet so as to form a continuous screen for
shielding the working parts of the chain and the teeth of the gear wheels from dust
or dirt, as set forth in Figures 1 to 7.
Secondly. In drive chain, making the intermediate links from a blank of sheet
metal such as Figure 12 and of a U or troughed cross section with separatel
and pierced ends at the ends of the side plates, substantially as desoribed and set
forth in Figures 8 to 13.
Thirdly. In drive chain, providing the joining-up pins or rivets of the same with.

page_text: rocking distance pieces or blocks d, substantially as described and set forth in
Figures 8, 9, 14 and 15.
Fourthly. The improved construction of drive chain having pivoted or rocking
distance pieces or blocks substantially as described and set forth in Figures 8 and 9.
Dated this 18th day of January 1897.
JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON,
By Henry Skorrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.