Improvements in and relating to a Machine for Automatically Manufacturing Sheet Metal Chains.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th May, 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
COMIDDIE SIMUIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to a Machine for Automatically
Manufacturing Sheet Metal Chains.
I, FREDERICK EGGE, a Citizen of the United States of America, residing at
No. 107 Park Avenue, in the City of Bridgeport, County of Fairfield, and State
of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:
My invention has reference to certain new and useful improvements in machines
for automatically making chain from sheet metal, and has for its object to
simultaneously produce two separate chains by means of one machine and from a
single continuous strip of sheet metal, which chain shall be exceedingly light and
very strong.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, is a front elevation of my improvement ;
Figure 2, a side elevation ;
Figure 3, a plan view with the uprights of the press and the parts carried and
supported thereby removed;
Figure 4, a sectional elevation at the line x-x of Figure 3.
Figure 5, a longitudinal sectional elevation ;
Figure 6, a detail perspective on an enlarged scale of the punches, dies, stripper
and stock, in detached condition;
Figures 7 and 8, detail broken sectional elevations showing the operation of the
link feeding and bending devices;
Figure 9, a detail perspective of the bending block;
Figure 10, a detail perspective of the guide block;
Figure 11, a detail of the blank from which the chain links are made ;
Figure 12, a detail of a short section of the chain;
Figure 13, a detail broken sectional elevation of the mechanism for feeding the
link blanks to the bending block;
Figure 14, a detail section at the line x-x, of Figure 13, and
Figure, 15, a detail bottom view of the punches.
Similar letters denote like parts in the several figures.
In the manufacture of chain from a sheet metal strip by automatic machinery,
it has heretofore been the practice to blank out the links consecutively, and in
uniform order from the metallic strip, to form a single continuous length of
chain.
In my improvement the links are blanked out alternately in two series, the
links of one series being the reverse of the links of the other series. The links
of each series, as tast as they are blanked out, drop into separate wells,
whence they are fed out in opposite directions and interlooped to form two distinct
chains.
There are two sets of mechanisms for feeding, interlooping and bending the links
nto finished shape, and for feeding the completed chains, and as both of said sets
are exactly alike, I will describe only one of them.
The power press which I use in carrying out my invention is of the ordinary
construction, and I will not describe the same, but will merely refer to the parts
thereof by letter.
A, is the platform of the press, B, the uprights, and, C, the reciprocatory gate.
The bed-plate. D. of my improvement is secured upon the platform A

page_text: I will first describe the means whereby the links are blanked out, deposited in
the wells and then fed consecutively to the bending and finishing devices.
E, is a block which is secured to the bottom of the gate, C, in any suitable
manner, as by a dovetail connection, F. The punch head, G, is secured to the
block, E, in the usual way, and the punches, H, and I, depend from said block.
The punches, H, cut the eyes from the blank, while the punches, I, sever the link
blank from the metal strip. These punches, H, and I, are arranged in alternate
pairs, as shown at Figure 15. J, is the die block secured to the bed plate, D, and
K, is the stripper secured to said block in any ordinary manner.
The punch openings, a, and b, in said block are deepened to form wells, and the
openings, b, extend clear through the block and lead into shallow grooves, 1, in
the bed plate, D. These grooves are only deep enough to accommodate a single
link, whereby push fingers reciprocated within said grooves may push the links
successively through said grooves to the bending block, as will be presently set
forth.
The openings, a, lead into a chute, 3, by which the cuttings of the eyes are con-
veyed to any suitable waste receptacle.
The metallic strip, 4, is fed between the punches and dies by the ordinary feed
rolls, c, d, which are constructed and operated in the same manner as shown and
described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 202,528, issued to me
April 16, 1878.
Referring particularly to Figures 3, 13 and 14, L, is a push bar having a
free reciprocatory movement within slot, M, in the bed, D. 5, is a push finger
adapted to reciprocate within groove, 1, whereby the links are thrown into the
bending block, and having stud, 6, at the rear end.
e, is a spring one end of which is secured to the bar, L, while the other end has
formed therein a socket, 7, into which the stud, 6, projects. The object of this
stud and socket connection is to prevent injury to the machine should anything
obstruct the play of the finger, for, in the event of the latter, the spring, e, will
buckle, and thereby cause the immediate disengagement of the stud and socket.
f, is an ear rising from the bed, D, and to this ear at 8, is pivoted a bell-crank
lever, g.
The toe, 10, of this bell-crank extends between pins 9, which project from
the bar, L, while a pin, 11, extends laterally from the upper end of said lever
within a recess, t, formed in the block, E. A coil spring, 12, is secured to the ear
and lever, whereby the lever is returned to normal position during the depression of
the press-gate.
When said gate is elevated the upper end of the lever, g, will be clevated,
thereby throwing the toe end inward to operate the link push finger, 5. When the
gate is depressed, the spring 12 will cause the toe end of the lever to be retracted
thereby effecting the withdrawal of the push finger so that the next succeeding link
may drop into the groove, 1.
Having now described the punches and dies for blanking the links and depositing
them within the well, and also the devices whereby said links are one by one
removed from said well and conveyed to the bending devices, I will now describe
the means which I employ to bend and finally shape the links.
i, is a feed channel in the bed-plate, D, within which channel the bending block, N,
is secured. The rear of this block has a pair of guide ears, 13, which project
upward, and the groove, 1, leads directly into the space between these ears.
The bending block is formed with depressions, j, k, l, m, and n, within which the
links are bent and shaped. O, is the bender, secured to the block, E, and having
depending projections, 14, 15 and 16. Pivoted to the block, E, is a curler, 17
which is normally separated from the bender by a coil spring o, (see Figure 7) the
nose of this curler being tapered on the outside, as seen at, p. 18 is a shaper
secured to the block, E.
The blank is shown in detail at Figure 11, and has an eye, 19, at one end and a
head 20 at the other.
Referring to Figure 13, it will be seen that a blank when pushed by the finger, 5

page_text: will fall between the ears 13, with its eye over the shank of the preceding partially
formed link, and by reference to Figure 7, it will be seen, that, after the chain has
been pulled through the feed channel by the action of the feed sprocket, P, (to be
hereinafter described) the said blank will have been advanced along the feed
channel, i, so as to rest horizontally upon the bending block with the head 20
immediately behind the shoulder 21. The blank is then in a position to receive the
first bending operation.
There are three operations to the bending, and in order to simplify an explana-
tion of them I have designated the blanks by e, W, X, Y, Z.
When the bender, O, descends, the round nosed projection 14 will bend the shank of
the blank, v, (see Figure 7) into the shape shown at Figure 8, the depression, j, in
the bending block co-operating with said projection to produce this result.
The blank, w, is operated upon by the projection 15, whose forward edge is
inclined so as to strike the end of said blank and bend it down to a horizontal
plane, as shown at Figure 8. During this bending operation, the projection 15 is
within the eye of the next succeeding link, so that there can be no longitudinal
displacement of the links during the bending. The blank, a, is operated upon by
the projection 16 and curler 17. The projection 16 backs up the rear of the
partially bent shank of the blank, while the tapered nose of the curler striking
the end of the shank and curling it downward is thrown inward by riding down the
inclined floor of the depression, m, thereby tightly squeezing the end of the shank
and locking the head 20 through the notch 22 in the link eye, which will be
readily understood by reference to Figures 8, 11 and 12.
The shaper, 18, is perhaps unnecessary since its function is merely to give
uniformity to the chain loops, 23, and it operates upon link, y, to correct any trifling
inaccuracies that might result from the bending operations.
The link, z, forms a part of the finished chain and is acted upon by a tooth of the
sprocket wheel, P, to pull the four succeeding blanks into position for succeeding
bending operations.
To sum up: The first bending operation is performed by the bender projection 14
to shape the blank, v, Figure 7, into the form shown at, v, Figure 8; the second
bending operation is performed by the projection 15 to shape the blank, w,
Figure 7, into the form shown at, w, Figure 8; the third bending operation is
performed by the projection 16 and curler 17 to shape the blank, a, Figure 7, into
the form shown at, a, Figure 8. These bending operations are performed upon
succeeding links by succeeding bending devices, and the depressions in the bending
block co-operate in giving the desired conformation to the loops, 23.
In order that there may be no lateral disarrangement of the partially formed
links, I provide a guide block, Q, which has a grate, R, through which the bending
projection, 16, curler, 17, and shaper, 18, enter to perform their functions. This
guide block has dowel pins 25 which fit within holes 26 in the block, N, and
similar holes (not shown) in the bed-plate, D, so as to be capable of a free vertical
play, and a flat spring, g, shown in dotted lines at Figure 10 and in solid lines at
Figure 3, bears upon the top of said block, Q, to keep the latter normally depressed.
Within this block and extending longitudinally throughout the same are guide ways, "",
within which the wide end of the blank fits snugly, so that during the operations on
the blanks, w, x, and y, the latter are held as against any lateral or vertical dis-
placement. When the chain is advanced by the action of the sprocket P, the
links, u, a, and y, will ride up the inclined floors of the depressions, l, m and n, and
thereby raise the block, Q, against the resiliency of the spring, q, and when the
chain has been advanced to the proper limit, said spring will depress the block to
normal position and thereby effect the proper arrangement of the blanks within
succeeding depressions in the bending block. At the opposite ends of the bed-
plate, D, are standards, S, within which short shafts, s, are journaled, and on the front
ends of these shafts are mounted ratchets, T, while on the rear ends sprockets, P,
hereinbefore referred to, are secured.
Pawls, U, are pivoted to the gate block, E, and springs, t, bear against the pawls

page_text: on the inside. When the gate block descends the pawls engage the ratchets and
operate them to revolve the sprockets, P, in the usual manner. Detents, u, engage
the ratchet teeth to prevent accidental movement in a direction reverse. to that
effected by the operation of the pawls, U. The sprockets, P, revolve within the
feed channels, i, and engage with the links through the eyes thereof, and the inter-
mittent rotation imparted to said sprockets by the action of the pawls, U, as the
gate block E, descends, effects the step by step pulling or advancing of the chain
for the purposes hereinbefore set forth."
The arrangement of the pawls, U, and ratchets T, is such that they operate to
feed the chain during the downward movement of the gate-block and immediately
prior to the operation of the bending devices.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
--
1. In a machine for automatically manufacturing sheet-metal chain, the com-
bination of means for feeding the metal strip, instrumentalities for blanking out the
links and depositing them within well-like receptacles, instrumentalities for inter-
mittingly feeding the blanks in opposite directions to separate bending devices and
threading the shanks of succeeding blanks within the eyes of preceding blanks,
devices for bending and shaping the inter-looped blanks into the form of a chain,
and means for advancing the chain step by step, whereby the links are operated
upon by the several bending devices, substantially as set forth.
2. In a machine for simultaneously manufacturing two sheet-metal chains, the
combination of the die-block having wells which contain separate series of blanks,
one series arranged reversely to the other, the two separate sets of bending devices
on opposite sides of said block, the two push-fingers adapted to intermittingly feed
the blanks of each series to said bending devices, and means controlled and
operated by the press-gate for actuating said fingers, substantially as shown and set
forth.
3. In a machine for manufacturing two sheet-metal chains automatically by the
same machine, the combination of instrumentalities for forming the link blanks in
two reversely arranged series from a single strip of metal, means for feeding the
blanks of each series in opposite directions to the point at which they are to be
connected with each other, instrumentalities for successively threading the shanks
of each series of blanks through the eyes of previously bent and partially formed
links, and instrumentalities for subsequently completely shaping the links of each
series and forming the separate chains, substantially as shown and described.
4. As an improvement in machines for automatically manufacturing sheet metal
chain, the hereinbefore described means for adjusting a flat blank in a previously
partially formed link, which consists in devices for feeding forward the flat blank
eye-end first, to a point where it will drop by gravity over the partially formed
and vertically extending shank of the preceding blank, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the flat link feeding mechanism, the bending block
provided with depressions, and the bender having depending projections adapted
to co-operate with said depressions to form the finished chain, substantially as set
forth.
6. The combination of the bender and bending block with the resilient guide-block
surmounting said bending-block, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of the bending block having raised ears, shouldered on the
inside, with the flat link bending devices adapted to deposit the links between said
ears, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of the bending block having depressions, j, k, l, m, with the
bender having projections, 14, 15, 16, and pivoted curler, 17, having tapered nose
and normally distended from the projection 16 by a spring, substantially as set
forth.
9. The combination of the bending block having depressions, the bending devices

page_text: for shaping the links in conformation to said depressions, the guide-block over the
bending-block having a resilient vertical play and provided with longitudinal guide
way for the wide portion of the links whereby the latter are held as against
sidewise or vertical movement, and means for advancing the chain step by step
after each bending operation, substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of the push-finger having a stud at the rear end, the
reciprocating push-bar, and the spring secured to said bar and having in its free
end a socket engaging with said stud, substantially as set forth.
11. The hereinbefore described improvement in machines for manufacturing
sheet-metal chain from blanks having at one end a headed shank and at the other a
notched eye, which consists in the combination of devices for bending the shanks
into a horizontal plane so that the heads overhang the notched eyes, with automati-
cally operated devices for curling said shanks to form loops and interlocking the
heads with the notches in the eyes, substantially as set forth.
12. The combination of the bending block having inclined depressions, m, within
which the links are advanced after the shanks have been bent to a horizontal
position, the bending devices, 16, adapted to back up said links at the rear of the
bent portion, the pivoted curler having a beveled nose, and the spring whereby
said curler is normally distended from the bending device, 16, substantially as
shown and described.
13. In a machine for automatically manufacturing sheet-metal chains, the com-
bination of instrumentalities for feeding the blanks in opposite directions to the
bending devices and threading the shanks of succeeding blanks within the eyes of
preceding blanks, separate devices for bending and shaping the interlooped_blanks
into the form of separate chains, and means for advancing the chains step by step
in opposite directions, whereby the links are operated upon by the two sets of
bending devices, substantially as set forth.
1001
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.