Improvements in or relating to Driving-chains.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 14th May, 1898
Improvements in or relating to Driving-chains.
A communication from JAMES B. HORNE, Manufacturer, St. Charles, Kane County,
Illinois, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
f
This invention relates to an improvement in the construction of drive-chains
to render the links secure against accidental separation, and at the same time:
permit of their being readily connected to and disconnected from each other when
desired.
The object is to provide a particularly simple, durable and inexpensive,
construction possessing the above characteristics.
In the drawing-
Figure 1.is a short length of chain constructed in accordance with this invention
and shown in side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same; Fig. 3, an enlarged
section taken on line 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a pin-locking clip which enters into
the construction of the chain; and Fig. 5, a modification of the clip shown in
Fig. 4.
The chain proper is formed of a series of inner links A and outer links A'
provided toward their ends with openings or perforations to receive the
connecting-pins B. The pins fit the openings in the overlapping links loosely to
hold them in pivotal relation, and extend at opposite end-portions beyond the
links A¹. At the outer surfaces of the links A¹ the pins B are grooved
circumferentially to present annular recesses t and heads t¹, the latter being
of the same diameter as the bodies of the pins. C C are pin-locking strips or
clips formed of spring-metal. In the preferred construction the clips are of
substantially the same shape and size as the links A', and are provided with
openings 8 which register with the openings in the links, but are normally smaller
to fit closely around the necks or reduced portions of the pins in the sockets t.
The clips are split to produce the slits or openings extending from the outer
sides of the openings s to the ends of the clips; and extending from the inner
sides of the openings & are inclined slits 82, which may be parallel with each
other as shown. The slits s¹ s2, which give to the ends of the clip the character
of spring-jaws, may be slightly separated and moved laterally with relation to each
other. Thus the clips may be readily sprung at their openings s
heads to enter the sockets t, and when in place they hold with sufficient
security to prevent all danger of accidental displacement.
over . the
It is desirable, particularly in the case of bicycle chains, that they should..be
noiseless and have great flexibility in order to be easy-running, and that for this
purpose the links should turn easily upon their pivots without having any
appreciable lateral play. Hitherto it has been usual in the manufacture of drive
chains, particularly for bicycle use, to upset the ends of the pins against the sides
037

page_text: of the outer links. This has the effect, generally, of holding the outer links rigid
with relation to the pins, whereby in the event that an inner link sticks against
movement upon a pin, from any cause, the joint between adjacent links becomes
stiff, which interferes with the easy working of the chain. Furthermore, unless
great care is employed in the manufacture of the chain the upsetting of the ends of
the pins will clamp the links so closely together as to cause them to bind, or will
leave them so loose with relation to each other as to permit lateral play upon the
pins. In this improved construction the links exactly fit and fill out the spaces
upon the pins between the sockets t, and the clips fit against the outer links in a
way to hold all the links against any lateral play and permit the outer as well as
the inner links to turn easily upon the pins. To separate links, as when it is
desired to shorten the chain, or clean it, the clips may be removed by, in each
instance, springing a jaw over the head t'. When a clip at one side is removed the
pins, to which it was joined, may be drawn out of the links without removing the
other clip. For the purpose of cleaning the chain, this construction, which permits
all the links to be separated, is particularly desirable, and the invention is not
limited to the use of the clips at both sides, because at one side if desired the pins
may be headed or joined by clips of any construction whether removable or not.
In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the clip or pin-lock C is formed of a single
length of spring-wire bent to form the eyes and parallel intermediate lengths ¹.
The pin-engaging openings 8 of the eyes correspond in size and position with those
in the clips before described; and the lengths 11 are separated by a slot 82, while
at only one of the openings & is a slit s through the end of the clip. In applying
. this clip the closed end is first sprung upon a pin and then the open end.
While it is preferred to construct these improvements throughout as shown and
described they may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention
as defined by the claims, and the improvement is not limited to a chain in which all
the links are connected by loose pins locked by means of the clips as described.
Another great advantage of this construction over a chain in which the heads of
the pins are upset, lies in this that hard or case-hardened pins may be employed
which will resist wear much better than those which, to permit upsetting, must
necessarily be comparatively soft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, & in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a drive-chain, the combination of inner and outer overlapping links
provided with coincident pin-receiving openings, link-connecting pins extending
through the openings of adjacent links at opposite ends of a link and having
shoulders beyond the link, and a removable and replaceable pin-locking clip
engaging the shoulders of the pins, substantially as described.
2. In a drive-chain, the combination of inner and outer overlapping links
provided with pin-receiving openings, link-connecting pins extending through the
openings of adjacent links and having shoulders beyond the links at opposite sides
of the chain, and pin-locking clips extending parallel with the links and at
opposite end-portions engaging the shoulders of the pins, substantially as
described.
3. In a drive-chain, the combination of inner and outer overlapping links
provided with coincident pin-receiving openings, link-connecting pins extending
through the openings of adjacent links and having recesses beyond the links and
heads beyond the recesses, and a pin-locking clip provided toward opposite ends
with expansible openings at which they are sprung over the heads to engage the
recesses of the pins, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a drive-chain, the combination of inner and outer overlapping links
provided with coincident pin-receiving openings, link-connecting pins extending
through the openings of adjacent links and having recesses beyond the links at

page_text: opposite sides of the chain, and heads beyond the recesses, and pin-locking clips
provided toward opposite ends with expansible openings at which they are sprung
over the heads to engage the recesses of adjacent pins, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5. In a drive-chain, the combination of inner and outer overlapping links
provided with coincident pin-receiving openings, link-connecting pins extending
through the openings of adjacent links and having recesses beyond the links and
heads beyond the recesses, and a pin-locking clip formed of a strip of springy
metal provided toward opposite ends with openings 8 and slits 8 and provided
between the openings with the slits 82, all arranged to operate substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.