IMPROVEMENTS IN CHAINS FOR COUPLING CRANES, CABLES, MINING PURPOSES, HOISTING, AND ALL OTHER PURPOSES WHERE CHAINS ARE USED
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Corfield, the younger, of Charlton Adam,
in the County of Somerset, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CHAINS FOR COUPLING CRANES, CABLES, MINING PURPOSES, HOISTING, AND ALL
OTHER PURPOSES WHERE CHAINS ARE USED."
Sealed the 5th July 1859, and dated the 5th January 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Corfield at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th January 1859.
I, WILLIAM CORFIELD, the younger, of Charlton Adam, in the County of
Somerset, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CHAINS FOR COUPLING CRANES, CABLES, MINING PURPOSES, HOISTING, AND
ALL OTHER PURPOSES WHERE CHAINS ARE USED," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to prevent accidents happening from the
falling of heavy weights (on the chain by which they are suspended breaking),
and is effected in the following manner :-Instead of making chains of single.
links, as usual, I propose forming them in double links, one set being a little
Jonger than the other, so that when any strain is applied the short links only.
receive it; but should any of the short links break or snap, either from wear:
or flaw in the manufacture, the longer links then take the strain.

page_text: This mode of chain making is well adapted to coupling chains, cranes, cables,
mining, colliery, quarry, warehouse, building, shipping, and dock purposes,
harness, and other useful purposes for which metal chains are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Corfield in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th July 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CORFIELD, the younger, of Charlton Adam, in the County of Somerset, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Corfield, Her special licence that I, the said William
Corfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Corfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN CHAINS FOR COUPLING CRANES, CABLES, MINING PURPOSES, HOISTING,
AND ALL OTHER PURPOSES WHERE CHAINS ARE USED," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Corfield, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW: YE, that I, the said William Corfield, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof; that is to say:
The object of this Invention is to prevent accidents happening. from the
falling of heavy weights (on the chain by which they are suspended breaking),
and is effected in the following manner :-Instead of making chains of single
links, as usual, I propose forming them in double links, one set being a little.

page_text: longer than the other, so that when any strain is applied the short links only
receive it; but should any of the short links break or snap, either from wear
or flaw in the manufacture, the longer links then take the strain.
This mode of chain making is well adapted to coupling chains, cranes, cables,
mining, colliery, quarry, warehouse, building, shipping, and dock purposes,
railway, harness, and other useful purposes for which metal chains are used.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to lessen and as much as possible prevent
the chance or chances of accidents happening from the breaking or snapping
of chains, and is effected in the following manner :-Instead of making chains
of single links, as in the ordinary way, I form them of double links, which are
so interlinked or connected one within the other, so as to form two distinct sets of
links, and each set in its connections or linking forming a perfect chain. These
two sets or series of links forming a double interlinked chain, which may be
made to take either a single or double strain, as circumstances may require; if
required for double strain the two sets of links which form the chain.are con-
structed of equal lengths, so that the strain is equally divided between each set of
links. If the chain is required in situations demanding great security, I form the
chain for single straining, which allows only one set of links to resist the strain
applied to it, this effect being produced by making the links of one set shorter
than the other, the short set taking the strain; but should any one link break
or snap when under a strain, arising either from the force of a blow, cutting,
wear, or flaw in the metal, or from imperfect welding, then the longer set of
links (in reserve) immediately drop into strain, taking the place of the shorter
set, and sustains the power or strength lost by the breaking of the link in the
shorter set, which still remains interlinked, as before described. I also form
chains in single or alternate lengths with the usual known methods of single
and double parallel links, and join them to other contrivances used in the shape
of rings, eye bolts, slides, slip links and rings, shackles, either single or double,
hooks, bow links, or any other contrivance that may be required under peculiar
or particular circumstances.
This mode of chain making is well adapted for coupling chains, cranes,
rigging cables, and buoy chains, mining, colliery, quarry, building, warehouse,
railway, shipping, and dock purposes, hames, head stalls, harness, and all other
useful purposes where metal chains are required.
Having now fully described the nature and object of my said Invention of
Improvements in Chains for Coupling Cranes, Cables, Mining Purposes,

page_text: Hoisting, and all other Purposes where Chains are used," together with the
best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark, in conclusion, that what I claim as my Invention, intended to
be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is, the manu-
facture of chains with two or more sets of links, in the manner before
mentioned, and for the purposes herein described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Corfield; have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
HENRY HOCKEY,
Charlton Adam.
WILLIAM CORFIELD, JUN. (L.S.)