AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF CONSTRUCTING CHAINS FOR SUSPENSION BRIDGES, CABLES, MINING, AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED METHOD OF MAKING THE BARS, LINKS, AND BOLTS THEREOF
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOB
CUTLER, of Lady Pool Lane, Sparke Brook, Aston-juxta-Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twelfth day of March, in the second year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Job
Cutler, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said Job Cutler, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Job Cutler, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF CONSTRUCTING CHAINS FOR
SUSPENSION BRIDGES, CABLES, MINING, AND OTHER PURPOSES, AND FOR AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF MAKING THE BARS, LINKS, AND BOLTS THEREOF;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Job Cutler shall cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
ence being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
réfer-

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Job Cutler, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates, first, to certain novel constructions of wrought-iron
chains, wherein the parts are so formed and combined as to offer greater
security, and chains so constructed are less liable to fracture and derangement
than the various wrought and other iron chains heretofore constructed.
Secondly, the Invention relates to the means of forming the links, bars, and
bolts of such novel constructions of chains.
And in order to give the best information in my power, I will proceed to
describe the Drawing hereunto annexed, in which the same letters of reference
are used to indicate similar parts wherever they occur.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a plan of part of a chain constructed and combined
according to my Invention; Figure 2 is an edge view of Figure 1; and
Figures 3 and 4 show separate parts of such chain. The principle on which
this chain is constructed is such that one set of bars, links, or bolts have
circular, by preference. cylindrical, projections formed thereon, and the other
set of bars, links, or bolts have corresponding circular and by preference
cylindrical sockets or cavities formed therein, so that when a projection of
one bar enters a socket or cavity of another bar, the one shall correctly fit
the other, yet allow of the projection turning in the socket or cavity, and in
addition to such sockets and projections there are to be holes formed through
the bars passing through the centre of each cylindrical projection, and also
through the cavities or sockets, through which a pin is passed; hence, when
any number of pairs of links, bars, or bolts are combined together they will
each and all be capable of movement on the pin; and further, each bar or
link with a socket will be capable of movement on circular projections, and
the bars or links with projections will be capable of movement in their
respective sockets, all which will readily be understood on a careful exami-
nation of the Drawing, aided by the following explanation thereof. a, a,
represent the outside bars, links, or bolts of the chain; they have each hollow.
cylindrical projections b, b, as is clearly shown in the Drawing; c, c, are the
minor links, bars, or bolts which have each four cylindrical projections b, two
at each end, but on opposite sides.. of the bars; d, d, d, d, are links, bolts, or,

page_text: jections 6 of the bars a, c.
bars, each having four cylindrical cavities or sockets 6' to receive the pro-
It will be seen that there are four bars, bolts, or
links a, c, to three of the links, bolts, or bars d; consequently, in order
to make all parts. of the chain equally strong or as nearly so as possible,"
the three bolts, bars, or links d should be each somewhat stronger than
a bar, bolt, or link a, c. The two sets of bars, bolts, or links are com-
bined together by means of the wrought-iron pin'e, which is passed through
the holes formed through the centres of the cylindrical projections and
through the holes in the sockets; the pins may be fastened by rivitting
or by having a head at one end and screw and nut at the other; f, g,
are pins which pass through the links, bars, or bolts a, c, and d, by which
the parts are more closely combined, and offer a means of holding the chain
together even though a pin e should be broken or fall out, for it will be
evident that the sockets and projections, being retained together by the pins
f, g, the chain would work safely, but I consider the pins e should at all times
be employed, though the pins ƒ and g may be dispensed with when desired,
and when used they may be rivited or have screws or nuts, as shown.
Figure 5 shows a plan, and Figure 6 an edge view, of chains constructed
according to another part of my Invention, differing in some respects from
that already described.
Figure 7 and Figure 8, showing separate views of the two descriptions of
bars, links, or bolts employed. In this case there is one class of bolts, bars, or
links which have cylindrical projections similar to those already described, the
other bars, links, or bolts having holes formed through them of the same
form as the projections, in place of having recesses; consequently two bars
with projections being laid together, having another bar d with holes through
it (of the required size) the projections may be said to act as an axis to the
other or intermediate bolt, bar, or link d, on which the same may turn freely.
In this case I have only shewn two bars a, a, to one bar d, but it will be
evident that by forming some of the bars a like the bars c of the former chain,
that is, having four projections b on each, a wide chain may be made according
to the purpose to which it is to be applied, and it will be evident that by
combining the links, bars, or bolts a, a, in pairs with one link d to each pair,.
a chain may be made. only half the width of Figure 1; and further, by using
more of the links, bars, or .bolts c and d, wider chains may be made than
those shown at Figure 1. L would remark that the chains shown at Figure 1
is suitable for pit chains, cables, and suspension bridges, the only difference
being that in making. chains for suspension bridges the links, bolts, or bars
must be longer and stronger in proportion to their encreased size; and

page_text: the chain, Figure 5, is suitable for driving machinery or other purposes, my
Invention only relating to the modes of forming the junctions of the links,
bolts, or bars for whatever purpose they may be applied. I have not thought
it necessary to show many different lengths of links or bars, and they will
necessarily be varied according to the purpose to which they are to be applied,
as will also their figure or shape, whilst the modes of connection will remain
the same.
It is important that the various parts of such chains should be
made with care and with considerable accuracy, in order that one link, bar,
or bolt should not have to bear more strain than another, and that the sockets
and projections should accurately fit, allowing, however, of the same turning
with freedom, and in order to accomplish such accuracy of the parts I have
invented suitable dies for stamping the bars, links, or bolts a, c, d. For
making the bars a I have two dies fitting accurately together, and having
projecting studs and holes to receive them, whereby the two dies are at all
times ensured going accurately together. In one of such dies is formed a
recess of the figure of the bar, link, or bolt a, and of such a depth as to
receive about half the thickness of such link a. The other die is similarly
sunk to the first, but in addition thereto there are two recesses therein
equal to forming or shaping the projections with a nipple or stud in
the centre for the purpose of piercing the necessary hole for the pin
to pass through, but if such hole should not be pierced entirely through by
stamping, the piercing may be perfected by the means of a pair of piercing
tools in a press.
And in forming the bars c two dies, such as the one last
described, are to be used, in order to form or shape the projections bon
each side of the bars,, links, or bolts c with nipples or studs therein to pierce
the hole for the pins to pass through, as before described. In making the
bars, bolts, or links & the dies are to be the reverse of those for producing
the projections b, such dies having projections formed therein to produce the
sockets. I would remark that I am aware that the links, bolts, or bars of ordi-
nary chains have been before made by stamping them in dies; I do not therefore
claim the use of dies for such purposes generally, but my Invention only
relates to the improved mode of constructing dies suitable for shaping pro-
jections 6, and for producing cavities or sockets 6', as herein explained. In
forming the bolts, bars, or links previously to stamping, I either forge the
same into as nearly the figure desired as possible by hand, or cut them out of
thick sheet iron by means of a pair of tools worked in a press, or else I have
bars rolled, leaving projections or recesses (as the case may be) at suitable
intervals, and each link being beated to a bright red heat it is inserted into its
proper dies, and by pressure or by blows the same are caused to close and

page_text: produce the figure of link, bolt, or bar desired, after which the projections
b and the cavities are to be finished in the lathe by means of suitable tools.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is,-
First, the mode of constructing and combining the parts of wrought-iron
chains, which I have called the projections b, the sockets 6', and the wrought-
iron pin e, as above described.
Secondly, I claim the mode of constructing wrought-iron chains with
circular projections 6 and sockets b', and pin e, as described, in respect to
Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8.
And, thirdly, I claim the mode of making or forming links, bars, or bolts
for chains with projections b and sockets b¹ by the aid of dies, as above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Job Cutler, hath hereunto set his hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of September, One thousand eight hundred