Improvements in Chain Links.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 13th Jan.,
1894
Improvements in Chain Links.
I, RICHARD ALVIN BREUL of 55 Beach Street, Bridgeport in the County of
Fairfield and State of Connecticut, United States of America, 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:
My invention relates to improvements in chain links, of which the accompanying
drawing gives a detail representation.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of a chain built up from my improved
links, made of round metal;
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a piece of chain comprising links of my improved
construction made of flat metal;
Fig. 3 is a detail view, in plan, of one of my improved round-metal links;
Fig. 4 is a detail view, in plan, of one of my improved flat-metal links;
Fig. 5 is a side view of the link represented in Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a side view of the link shown in Fig. 4;
Fig. 7 is a view of the blank from which the round-metal links are cut;
Fig. 8 illustrates the way of bending the straight pieces or blanks, after the
same have been cut, to form the links, but before the meeting ends have been
interlocked to form the finished link; and
Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views, on an enlarged scale, of the notched and
interlocking meeting ends of a link, before the ends are sprung together to form a
closed loop.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.
This invention relates to chains of that type in which the links are formed by
loops which are interlocked with one another, in contradiction to the ordinary form
of chains in which the links are welded, and my improvement consists in the novel
and specific construction of the interlocking links as will be hereinafter more fully
described and particularly pointed out in the claim.
Referring to the drawing, the letter A denotes the blank from which the pieces
or sections to form the individual links are cut. This blank may either be round,
square, or flat, according to whether it is desired to make a chain of round, square
or flat links. By means of a suitable tool, or suitable machinery, the blank is cut
into pieces, B, of proper length to form links of the desired size, the blank being
cut across obliquely so as to form two notches, a and a', one at each end, with
corresponding dovetailed lips or projections, band ; the dovetailed lips being
formed from the metal left in cutting the notch a, while the other finger or
dovetailed projection, ', is similarly formed from or by the metal left in cutting
the other notch a'. It follows from this that there is absolutely no waste of metal
and that the dovetail will coincide with and fit closely into its dovetailed notch
or recess a, while the other dovetail or hooked finger & will similarly coincide with
and fit into the other dovetailed notch or recess a².
After cutting the blanks, these are bent to form oblong loops, C, a sufficient
number of which are assembled and looped together to form a chain of any
desired length. As the loops are formed, they are completed by interlocking
the notched ends which is done simply by springing them together; the extreme
ends of each section B being cut out to form a V-shaped notch e at one end, with
a correspondingly shaped and coinciding wedge shaped projection d at the opposite
end; said registering end-notches and projections e and d being in planes at right
angles to the interlocking parts a b, and a' b¹. The object of the interlocking

page_text: notch e and shaped projection d is to prevent lateral motion of the meeting ends
of the link or loop after these have been sprung together, while the interlocking
dovetails a band a will resist strain or tension in a longitudinal direction; so
that after the chain has been formed by assembling the links or loops and springing
them together, it will be impossible for them to be pulled apart without rupture of
the metal or other material from which the chain is built up. The shape of the
interlocking dovetails is such, as will be clearly seen by reference to the drawing,
that the greater the strain to which the chain is subject, the firmer will the dove-
tails a band a¹ grip and interlock with one another; the interlocking notch e
and projection d effectually preventing lateral motion and disengagement of the
notched and interlocking meeting ends of the individual links.
It will be obvious that a chain of this character may be made from links which
are round, square, or rectangular in cross section; the shape and arrangement of
the interlocking notches a, a' and e with the dovetails b, and d being the same in
all cases.
If the individual links are made flat, from blanks cut from thin flat
strips of metal, it may be desirable to reinforce the notched and interlocking ends
by making these parts thicker, as shown at in Figs. 2 and 4 but this is not
necessary in round links of the ordinary type.
I am aware that chain links have been made before with interlocking meeting
ends, but not the auxiliary laterally interlocking dovetails, which constitute an
important and essential feature of my improvement. In the absence of means for
preventing such lateral motion or displacement, the chain is liable to be accidentally
severed by lateral pressure; a drawback which is entirely overcome by using links
of my improved construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :—
The chain link herein shown and described, having its meeting ends cut to form
the dovetailed notches a a¹, corresponding dovetailed projections bb, notches or
depressions e and V shaped projections d, interlocking with one another in a plane
at right angles to the interlocking notch e and coinciding V shaped projection d ;
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of December 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.