AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS to be as follows:
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS
to be as follows:-
"
This invention relates to an improved manufacture of chains whereby lengths of
chain are produced having solid weldless links which lengths are then united
together by means of separate links of peculiar construction.
For the production of the lengths of weldless links, a bar is in the first place
manufactured having a cross-shaped transverse section and this bar is then drilled
or punched, notched, and stamped by a series of successive operations, so as to
impart to it the configuration of two sets of oval links at right angles to each
other interlocked one within the other and united together by fins of metal which
are afterwards broken and cut away so as to separate the interlocked links.
For this purpose there are drilled or punched, in the first place, diagonal holes
through the bar at points corresponding to those where the ends of one link
interlock with the ends of the two contiguous links, thus forming an interstice
between the inner surfaces of the interlocked ends. By means of dies, recesses or
notches of semi-oval or rounded configuration are then formed, corresponding with
the inner oval configuration of. the link on each side of the ends of the two links
with which it is interlocked, leaving a thin fin or web still uniting the parts, after
which notches are punched or stamped in the outer edge of the bar in such
positions and of such configuration as to produce the external oval form of the
contiguous ends of two links. The before mentioned fin in the interior of the link
is then cut out, after which the contiguous ends of the links interlocking therewith
are separated from each other by forming a space between them by punching or
cutting. The separation of the interlocked links from each other may then be
readily effected by means of blows, breaking the fins that still unite them, after
which the separated links are stamped in dies to impart to them the requisite
finished rounded form, and finally, any still adhering fins are cut away. Although
I have spoken of the links being formed so that the ends thereof interlock with

page_text: each other, yet for certain reasons it may be preferable so to form the links that,
when finished, the sides of the one link interlock with the sides of the others, thus
having the ends of the links projecting outwards, so that after separating the links,
they have to be turned through 90° so as to bring them into the requisite position,
end to end.
For uniting the lengths of chain thus produced links are formed of a coiled bar
having a configuration similar to that of an ordinary split key ring and after
inserting therein the end links of the two lengths to be united, the coils are welded
together, a suitable flux being introduced between the surfaces to insure a perfect
weld. A number of such links are formed from a long bar by first rolling this of
such configuration that half round lengths alternate with a short cylindrical
portion the half round on the one side being presented upward and that on the
other side being presented downward.
The bar is then cut at the middle of each half round length and after forming
the ends of each cut length with a bevil or taper they are coiled on a mandril so
as to produce a split ring as before mentioned. The finished link being of circular
form, it is then brought into the requisite elliptic shape by suitable dies.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and 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:-
This invention relates to an improved manufacture of chains whereby lengths of
chain are produced having solid weldless links which lengths are then united
together by means of separate links of special construction.
For the production of the lengths of weldless links, a bar is in the first place
manufactured having a cross-shaped transverse section and this bar is then drilled
or punched, notched, and stamped by a series of successive operations, so as to
impart to it the configuration of two sets of oval links at right angles to each other
interlocked one within the other and united together by fins of metal which are
afterwards broken and cut away so as to separate the interlocked links.
For this purpose there are drilled or punched, in the first place, diagonal holes
through the bar at points corresponding to those where the ends of one link
interlock with the ends of the two contiguous links, thus forming an interstice
.

page_text: between the inner surfaces of the interlocked ends. By means of dies, recesses or
notches of semi-oval or rounded configuration are then formed, corresponding with
the inner oval configuration of the link on each side of the ends of the two links
with which it is interlocked, leaving a thin fin or web still uniting the parts, after
which notches are punched or stamped in the outer edge of the bar in such
positions and of such configuration as to produce the external oval form of the
contiguous ends of two links. The before mentioned fin in the interior, of the link
is then cut out, after which the contiguous ends of the links interlocking therewith
are separated from each other by forming a space between them by punching or
cutting. The separation of the interlocked links from each other may then be
readily effected by means of blows, breaking the fins that still unite them, after
which the separated links are stamped in dies to impart to them the requisite
finished rounded form, and finally, any still adhering fins are cut away. Although
I have spoken of the links being formed so that the ends thereof interlock with
each other, yet for certain reasons it may be preferable so to form the links that,
when finished, the sides of the one link interlock with the sides of the others, thus
having the ends of the links projecting outwards, so that after separating the links,
they have to be turned through 90°, so as to bring them into the requisite position,
end to end
Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings shews in dotted lines the cross shaped bar,
having the before described diagonal holes drilled or punched therein at the points
where the links to be formed interlock with each other; these holes being made;
the recesses or notches a a Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are punched in by dies as at Fig. 3
producing the rounded sectional shape of the link, and leaving fins t between the
inner side and the side of the vertical part at b. The recesses a might be made as
shewn at Fig. 1, so as to produce links lying lengthwise, but this would have the
disadvantage, that when the parts b of the link are subsequently curved outwards
as indicated by the dotted lines, these parts being stretched out would become too
thin, while the ends of the link would remain too thick. To avoid this incon-
venience, the links are by preference formed out of the bar in the position shewn
at Fig. 2, namely with the length of the link lying at right angles to the position
which it ultimately occupies. The bar from which the chain is made is for this
purpose made of a width in both directions of the cross corresponding to the
length of the link, and the recesses a are formed so as to correspond with the inner
elliptical shape of the link. These recesses having been formed, the parts at dd
are then punched out so as to produce the external elliptical configuration of the
link.
The finst left by the dies are readily punched out cold subsequently. Figs. 4
and 5 shews views at right angles to each other of the punching tool for hot-
punching the parts between the links.
It will be seen that this improved manufacture of chains includes the following
steps:
1. Drilling in the cold the diagonal holes.
2. Hot-stamping the oval recesses.
3. Hot stamping the outside notches and drawing out the ends of the links.
4. Cutting out the inner fins.
5. Cutting through the outer sides of the links while hot.
6. Separating the links by blows with a hammer.
7. Stamping the links in finishing dies and
8. Finally clearing off the fins, whereby the links are finished.
The lengths of chain thus produced are then united together by a special form
of link, which I will now describe.
These connecting links are somewhat similar in construction to what are known
as "split rings;" they are made as follows. A round steel bar of the thickness of
the required link is heated and passed between a pair of grooved rolls which
impart to the bar the configuration shewn at Figs. 13 and 14. The bar thus
produced is cut into lengths L, being rather more than twice the developed length

page_text: of the link to be produced; one such length is shewn in full size at Fig. 15 and 16.
These lengths are then coiled on a mandril of a diameter equal to the inner
diameter of the link and the ends at X Y and Z are formed chisel-shaped so as to
facilitate their subsequent welding without producing excessive thickness at
those parts.
The coiled links will then have the appearance shewn at Fig. 6 in elevation, in
plan at Fig. 7 and in sections at Figs. 8, 9 and 10, taken respectively on lines m n,
m p. Pl.
When two lengths of chain require to be joined together, the last link of each
length is inserted into the length Fig. 6 as in a split ring; the link is then heated
and after introducing between the surfaces to be united together a suitable flux, it
is closed up and then subjected to a welding heat and welded or pressed in dies.
Figs. 11 and 12 shew sections of the link on lines qr and 8t Fig. 7, when closed
up before welding.
After removing the fins produced by the welding in moulds, the link, which is
then as strong as the other links, is brought into the required oval shape.
This form of link may also be used with advantage for joining together parts of
a chain in place of a broken link.
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:
1. Constructing chains with weldless links from bars of metal having a cross-
shaped transverse section substantially as herein described, with reference to
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
2. Constructing links, for uniting lengths of chain, from coiled rods of metal
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 6 to 16 of the drawings.
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.