IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS." A communication from abroad by Eugeno
Oury, of Cherbourg, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Inray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1881.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS" [A communication from
abroad by Eugene Oury, of Cherbourg, France.]
This Invention relates to the manufacture of chains, a number of the links of
which are made in the solid without welds or other jointing, being thereby
rendered strong and safe. For this purpose a bar of iron or steel having a section
like that of an equal armed cross has slots cut out of the opposite arms of the
cross at distances corresponding to the lengths of the intended links. Holes are
then punched through the metal constituting the middle of the cross so as to make
separation between the ends of the successivo links, and narrower holes or slots
are punched diagonally through the metal to nearly separate the inner sides of the
link loops from each other. The links are then detached by blows, still however
remaining engaged with one another; they are then bulged out at the sides,
rounded in their section, and rounded at their ends to the desired form.
number of lengths of chain being made in this manner these lengths can be joined
together by coupling links of any known kind, so as to form a chain of the length
desired.
A

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th December
1881.
JOHN IMRAY, of No. 28, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex. "ÎMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS." A com-
munication from abroad by Eugene Oury, of Cherbourg, France..
This Invention relates to the manufacture of chains, a number of the links of
which are made in the solid without welds or other jointing, being thereby
rendered strong and safe. For this purpose a bar of iron or steel having a section
like that of an equal armed cross has slots cut out of the opposite arms of the
cross at distances corresponding to the lengths of the intended links. Holes are
thon punched through the metal constituting the middle of the cross so as to make
separation between the ends of the successive links, and narrower holes or slots
are punched diagonally through the metal and at the sides of the links to nearly
separate the link loops from each other. The links are then detached by blows,
still however remaining engaged with one another; they are then bulged out at
the sides, rounded in their section, and rounded at their ends to the desired form.
A number of lengths of chain being made in this manner these lengths can be
joined together by coupling links of any known kind, so as to form a chain of the
length desired.
The accompanying Drawings shew the successive steps of the process for manu-
facturing a length of chain according to this Invention. Fig. 1 shews tho bar
having the section of a cross, as shewn in Fig. 1. The ribs of this cross are
slotted, as shewn in the two side views, Figs. 2 and 2b, and in the section, Fig. 2,
taken on X, X, pieces being cut out at the parts A at distances corresponding to
the lengths of the links that are to be formed, the slots of one pair of the ribs
alternating with those of the other pair. The metal at each slotted part is then
punched out, producing rectangular holes B, as shown by the two sido views,
Figs. 3 and 3b, and by Fig. 3º, the transverse section on X, X. Diagonal holes C
are then punched, as shown in the side view, Fig. 4, and section on X, X, Fig. 40.
The next operation is to squeeze without quite punching through the metal at each
side of each link, producing depressions D, as shewn in Fig. 5, and swelling
outwards the sides of the link, so that theso sides havon soction like that
shown at D'. The links are then farther swelled out and forged approximately
round, as shewn in Fig. 6, and the metal of each link being now detached from
the metal of the links engaged with it, the links are quite rounded in section and
circularly shaped, as shown in the side view, Fig. 7, and plan, Fig. 7. The links
may be now made to take elliptical form, as shown in the side view, Fig. 8, and
plan, Fig. 8, and may be provided with struts E; or they may be twisted, as
shewn in side view at Fig. 9, and in plan at Fig. 9*.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
The manufacture of lengths of chain without welds by cutting and punching
cruciform bars of iron or steel so as to form links engaged with one another, and
forging to shape the links so produced, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Inray, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.