Improvements in the Method of and Means for Making Chains.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 7th Aug., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE LOCKE STEEL BELT COMPANY, a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of West Virginia, and having its
principal business office in the City of New York, State of New York, United
States of America.]
Improvements in the Method of and Means for Making Chains.
I PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, 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:-
The invention relates to the method of, & means for, making chains from sheet.
metal, and consists in simultaneously performing progressive steps in the formation
of several links while they remain integral with the strip of metal from which they
are made, and at the same time severing a link, and uniting it with a previously
formed link; and in a machine for carrying the several steps into effect.
The machine is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine;
Fig. 2 is a front elevation;
Figs. 3, 4, and 5, are vertical longitudinal sections through the upper, lower, and
stationary dies, the dies being shown in different positions.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a strip of metal illustrating the progressive formation
of the links.
Figs. 6 are sectional plan views of some finished links, detached, and Figs. 6" are
side and plan views of a small piece of chain.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the feed tube or spout.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section through the feeding mechanism and
spout.
Fig. 9 is a top plan view showing the feeding mechanism and the lower dies and
guiding blocks for the chain; and
Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal section, showing the upper dies at the limit of
their upward movement.
Referring to Fig. 1, A is the framework, in which are provided suitable bearings
for the driving shaft A', to which is attached the pulley A2 and gear wheel A³, which
drives the gear A' attached to the upper crank shaft mounted in the frame. The
upper crank shaft carries a gear A', meshing with gear Aº, secured to a vertical
shaft A¹, which, at its lower end, carries a gear, A8, driving, through gear Aº, the
lower shaft, which actuates the lower reciprocating dies. The machine receives its
motion through the wheel A2 and a suitable belt.
B is a lever pivoted at b to the block B, and connected to rod 62, which is pivoted
to crank b³, mounted in bearings 64, and joined to vertical rod 6, mounted in
bearings 6 and 67, and carrying, at its upper end, a plunger b". Between a collar on
Price & 1

page_text: the rod 6 and the bearing 66, is interposed a spring 6º. The plunger takes into a
cam groove 610 of a spring-pressed clutch secured to upper crank shaft by spline and
groove, the gear A being provided with a corresponding clutch. Through means of
lever B, the machine may be thrown in gear. This mechanism, however, is not
material, as any other suitable mechanism will answer.
Referring to Fig. 2, C is the guideway in which the slide C¹ moves up and down,
the guideway and slide being suitably grooved or mortised, and the guideway C
being provided with one side C which is removable by means of the screw bolts c, to
permit the more ready insertion of the slide C¹.
Guide plates D are secured to the slide C¹, to hold the slide D³ in place. The
slide D carries the holding dies, and the slide C³ the punching dies; and the slide D¹
has a movement imparted to it independent of the slide C¹. The slide C¹ is connected
to a pitman C³, the upper end of which is mounted on an adjustable eccentric on the
crank pin of the upper crank shaft, by which a reciprocating movement is imparted
to the slide C'. The slide D¹ is bolted, by bolts & passing through slots d', to a cam
plate D', engaged by a roller on the crank pin of the upper crank shaft. Between the
plate D2 and the slide D', is interposed a key d², adjustable by a screw d³ secured
into the plate D2, the upper end of the slide D₁ being suitably levelled, so that by
the adjustment of the nuts on screw d³, and by means of the bolts d and slots di,
the slide D is vertically adjustable. The plate D2 is provided with a cam D³, taking
over the roller on the crank pin of the upper crank shaft, which cam is so shaped
that, as the crank shaft revolves, the dies carried in the slide D' are moved downward,
to clamp the metal against the lower stationary dies, and are then arrested, while
the dies on slide C¹ are carried down into the openings between the stationary dies,
to perform their work, and again ascend, to meet the clamping or holding dies, when
both sets of dies ascend for a second operation. The clamping die E consists of four
members, e, e¹, e², e³, which may or may not be integral. The dies of course press on
each side of the strip, and the die F has its three members, f, f, f², projected between
the members of the clamping die. The lower stationary dies are mounted in
the bed G, and consist of the members g, g', g², g³, between which
are the
openings g, g³, gº. In the opening g reciprocates a lower die G2, attached to the
slide G by bolts g', g', (see Fig. 2) passing through slots in the slide G₁, the said
slide being guided in ways 98. By means of set screws g° interposed between the
die G and slide G', the die is vertically adjustable. On slide G¹ is mounted a
friction roller g₁, which rests on the cam g" of cam plate g12, secured to the lower
shaft A, by means of which cam the slide G¹ is moved up. The cam plate has
secured to it, by bolts g14, an internal cam g³, which, bearing on the top of the
roller go, as shaft A10 revolves, draws the slide G¹ down.
Two guides, rr (see Fig. 9) are provided in the stationary dies, to guide the metal
.strip as it is being forced along over the dies; suitable indentations are made in
the clamping dies for the entrance of the pins or guides r r.
By reference to Fig. 6, the shape of the dies, and the various operations perforined,
will be at once apparent, it being borne in mind that the lower stationary dies, so far
as their acting surfaces are concerned, are opposite to the upper dies. A¹¹ A¹¹
represent the complete links. The hook h and lip ³ are formed from metal taken
from between the side bars h², and the lips ht h¹ form a transverse section bent up
from the strip of metal. The links are attachable and detachable by a sidewise
movement, although I do not limit the invention to links detachable or attachable by
this particular way. The strip of metal H is fed into the machine so that its forward
end will register immediately under the point h³ of die f. The clamping dies
descending and holding the metal, the strip is bent, as shown in section 1 of Fig 6,
by dies f2, which then ascending together with the clamping die, the strip is fed
along, so that its forward end registers with the point 6 under the die e², when the
clamping die descending together with the die F, the second section is formed, as
shown in section 2 of Fig. 6, the part he making the lip h, and h7 cutting the metal
transversely and longitudinally, to form the lips h³, section 1 having been formed in the
strip by die f2. The dies then ascend, and the front end of strip is fed along until

page_text: egisters with the part h³ in e'. The dies descending, e gives
lips punched out to form h, h³, forming section 3, sections 2 and 1 being formed
The dies ascending, the strip is
The dies descend-
he strips by the dies, as previously described.
along until its forward end registers with part hº of member e.
f completes the longitudinal interior shear of the metal, to form lip or hook h;
mber el with its cutting edge severs section 4 from section 3 at line 5; the
gascending, rolls up the lip h, which follows contour of h¹¹ and lip h³, which
lows contour of 12, the dies forming in the strip the parts or sections 3, 2, 1, as
eviously described. It is obvious that a completed link is turned out at each
oke of the dies.
The strip of metal H is wound in a roll, froin which it is taken and fed to the
achine by the feeding rollers i, 1, 2, 3, which are mounted in a framework I
cured to part G. The rolls i¹, are mounted in boxes adjustable respectively by
e set screws 18 1º, so as to regulate the pressure of the rolls upon the metal, which
I is a hand wheel secured to a
course passes between the upper and lower rolls.
aft 7. Mounted on the side of frame I secured to this shaft, are the ratchet
heels k, k, k, made of different pitch, so as to regulate the throw of the shaft k'.
he ratchet wheels are engaged by the spring-actuated pawls k¹, k¹, k¹. The pawls
re mounted on a frame k², which is pivoted on the shaft k, to which frame the
onnecting rod k³ is also pivoted, the upper end of the connecting rod being secured
o a crank k of upper shaft, on which crank it is adjustable by means of the bolt and
ut and slot k. The revolution of the upper shaft will of course turn the ratchet
wheels k, and consequently the shaft k, to which they are secured. The shaft k
projects through the frame I, and carries a gear ks, which rotates with a gear secured
to roller, which latter gear meshes with, and drives the gear k, and consequently
the roller i. The gear 8 also drives the roller 2 through a gear secured to the latter,
the gear meshing with the gear secured to roller 2, and driving thereby the
roller. The straightening device consists of the three rollers it, i, and i, which
latter is projected between the rollers i, 5, and is mounted in a box adjusted by
means of set screw . It will be noticed that the lower dies are of such form, on
their feed sides, that the strip is readily fed over them by the feeding mechanism.
Member e of die E is formed with an offset L, in which, at l, is pivoted a finger or
extractor L', between which and member e, is interposed a spiral spring U. The lower
part of the finger is narrowed down, so that its point will enter between the sprocket
bar of the link and member e, the link projecting some distance beyond the member e.
The end of the finger is inclined, and rides, as e descends, upon the incline l³ of the
bed G, the finger being held back by spring l', as e descends, to enter between e and
the sprocket bar of the link. The inner edge of the finger is stopped against edge of
member e. The bed G is suitably recessed to receive a spring stop M, wide enough
at its upper end to fit between the sprocket bars of two adjacent links, when coupled.
The spring stop M is pressed upward by a spring m, and is formed with its upper
edge towards the finger L', bevelled or inclined, to more readily permit the forcing
of the chain along. The inclined edge also acts as a cam, by which the chain, as it is
pulled out of the machine, forces the spring stop or detent down. Two upper guide-
5 ways, and two lower guideways l³, are provided to prevent the chain from kinking,
and to hold it in place for the action of finger I and detent M. The upper guides
are indented at m1 for the pin l, which descends into the indentations.
operation of this part of the invention is as follows:-Enough links having been
made, so that the first, having been placed over the detent M, and the last having its
0 end bar under the part ho of die e¹, the dies being separated as shown in Fig. 10,
and the strip of metal having been fed along by the feeding mechanism, as the upper
dies ascend, until the forward edge of the bar h of the link is immediately under the
feed side of the part (whose purpose is to be hereinafter explained) of die e, the
dies descend, and the finger L being forced against the cam 13, pulls the chain from
65 the dies, or steps it along such a distance, that the end bar formed by lips h3, h4, of
the last link of the chain, is immediately under the lip h¹ of the forward end of the
strip. The upper dies, together with the reciprocating lower die, then moving to
The

page_text: the limit respectively of their downward and upward movements, the succeeding link
is formed with the lip h rolled upwardly, and partially around the end bar of the last
link of the chain. The cam 13 must be formed so that the finger L' will pull out the
chain, to bring the last completed link in proper position, before the clamping or
holding dies press the metal against the lower dies. It is also evident that the
crank which operates the feeding mechanism, should be so disposed with reference
to the eccentrics which operate the dies, that the feeding mechanism is operated
while the clamping die is somewhat distant from the stationary dies. This is
necessary, in order that there may be sufficient room between the clamping and
stationary dies for the metal to be fed along. It will be noticed that the stop or
detent M, as the finger or extractor L ascends and begins its downward movement,
holds the links, and prevents them from being displaced or forced back into the
machine. The gauge or finger ho, attached to member e of the clamping die, descends
close to the forward end of the link being formed, and serves as an abutment or stop,
against which the lip his rolled up by the die g'. If it were not for this gauge or
finger, the lip h would be rolled up so near the lip h, that there would be
difficulty in detaching the links. The finger hº ensures a proper distance between
the lips and h¹, so that the links are readily attachable.
The part of the bed plate is suitably bevelled off at l", to permit the sprocket bar of
the link to be readily forced upwardly by the finger L, and the plunger M being
forced down by the link, is forced up by the spring m so soon as the link has been
moved along far enough to permit the entrance of the plunger between
its end bars.
Referring to Fig. 7, which is an enlarged vertical section on line a a, Fig. 8,
a U-shaped piece of steel n is secured rigidly between the side parts 12, 12, of the
feeding frame; and above this piece n is secured another plate n', between which
plates are secured narrower plates v v. The plates n, n¹, v, v, form a trough or tube
for the passage of the strip. It will be noticed from Figs. 8 and 9 that there are
three sections of these plates, one to the left of, and one between, the rollers i and i¹,
and the third between the rollers i i¹ and the dies, the latter section, at its forward
end, being secured to the bed piece of the machine by bolts o o, and being there cut
away at o¹, to permit the metal to spring upwardly, so that it may the more
readily be forced along over the stationary dies. The upper plate of the first section
extends close to the rollers, and the lower plate close to the roller . The feeding
rollers of course force the strip through the straightening rollers, and through the
trough, to the dies. Secured to the frame I by bolts q, is a frame Q, to which is
fastened, at q', a knife frame q², which is provided with a knife edge q, by which the
strip of metal is severed. The knife is adjustable by means of nuts 9, so that the
distance therefrom to the dies may be a multiple of the length of the metal
required to make a link. As one roll of metal is about running out, or exhausted
through the operation of the machine, it is cut off, if its length is not a multiple of
the length of the strip required to make a link, and the end of the new roll of
ribbon is introduced so that its end will abut against the end of the preceding
strip. The new end, as it is caught by the feeding rollers, forces the old strip
through the tube to the forming dies. The knife and tube thus, besides saving the
end of the old strip, ensures the proper entrance of the new strip, so that it will not
be wasted. The tube also ensures the combined action of the two sets of feeding
rollers in forcing the metal over the lower dies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein-described method of transforming a strip of metal into a series of
connecting links, consisting in simultaneously performing progressive steps in
the formation of several links while they remain integral with the strip of metal,
and at the same time severing a link and uniting it with a previously formed
link.

page_text: 2. The mechanism substantially as hereinabove described for effecting the pro-
gressive steps in the formation of a link.
3. The mechanism substantially as hereinabove described for simultaneously
performing the progressive steps in the formation of a link, and at the same time
severing it, and uniting it with a previously formed link.