Improvements in and relating to Machines for Making Chain.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Making Chain.
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 relates to certain new and useful improvements in machines for
making what is commonly known as cable chain."
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The object of my invention is to make this chain uniformly and to reduce the
cost of its production. The operation of my machine is automatic, whereas this
chain has heretofore been manufactured wholly by hand.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure is a plan of my machine; Figure 2 a front elevation; Figure 3 a
section at the line a-a, of Figure 1; Figure 4 a section at the line b-b, of
Figure 1 Figure 5 a section at the line c-, of Figure 1; Figure 6 a detail
broken perspective of the mechanism for guiding the links and for delivering the
rivets thereto; Figure 7 a detail perspective of the carrier chain; Figure 8, a
detail plan of the wire gripping device; Figure 9 a detail perspective of said
device; and Figure 10 a detail perspective of a short section of the completed
chain.
Similar numbers denote like parts in the several figures.
My machine comprises in its organization, instrumentalities for properly
assembling the chain links and for carrying them to the point where the rivets are
introduced, means for inserting the rivets through the links, whereby the latter are
connected, and mechanism for heading the rivets.
I will first describe the means which I employ for feeding the links:
1, is the frame of the machine, and 2 the main shaft journalled therein with
power pulley 3 thereon; 4 is a secondary shaft journalled in the frame and having
mounted thereon a large spur gear 5, which meshes with a small spur gear 6 on the
shaft 2, whereby a comparatively slow speed is imparted to said shaft 4.
Rigid on the shaft 4 is a compound cam 7, hereinafter to be more fully described.
8 is a shaft journalled in one end of the frame, and 9-is a shaft similarly journalled
in the other end of said frame. These shafts 8, 9, project beyond the side of the
frame and carry sprocket wheels, 10, 11. 12 is an endless chain carried by said
wheels This chain I shall hereinafter term the "carrier chain," since the links
are properly assembled thereon preparatory to being carried thereby to the
riveting mechanism. I have shown, and I prefer to use for this purpose, a chain
similar to the chain to be manufactured by my machine, since I can thereby obtain
an accurate gauge which greatly facilitates the proper assembly of the links. I
however, in constructing this carrier, introduce between the adjacent ends of the
outside links, 13, ears 14, which rise in pairs above the chain and are coupled below
the latter by an integral portion 15, while between the adjacent ends of the inside
links 16 I introduce single ears 17, these ears, 14, 17, in the completed carrier
being arranged alternately, as will be readily understood from Figure 7.
The links of the chain to be made I will hereinafter call "chain links" in
contradistinction to the links of the carrier which I will term "carrier links."
These chain links are placed by hand on the carrier the inside links 18, being
confined laterally by the ears 14 and at the ends by the ears 17, while the outside
links 19 are confined at their ends by the ears 14 and separated a proper distance
(equal to the combined thickness of the inside links) by the ears 17.* The chain

page_text: links are pierced for the rivets and tumbled to remove the burr (caused by blanking
them out) prior to being placed on the carrier, and in this connection I will say
that it would be a very ordinary mechanical expedient to arrange chutes or wells
leading from the blanking dies to a point immediately above the carrier, whereby
the chain links could be automatically deposited on the carrier in proper relative
position.
A vital objection to this arrangement exists, namely, the burr on the links which
is thrown up by the blanking dies. As long as this burr is present on the links, it
is impossible to manufacture from such links a suitable and serviceable chain, and I
prefer, therefore, to assemble the links manually on the carrier.
In order to advance the carrier chain intermittingly, step by step, I mount a
ratchet wheel, 20 on the shaft 8, and suspend loosely from said shaft a pawl
carrier, 21, which projects beyond said wheel and has pivoted on one side a spring
pawl, 22, adapted to engage with said ratchet, and on the other side a friction
roll, 23, against which latter a toe 24, extending from the cam 7, abuts to throw
the carrier, 21, downward, thereby turning said wheel all of which will be readily
understood by reference to Figures 1 and 3.
A coil spring, 25, connected to the frame and to a pin 26 projecting upwardly
from the carrier 21, operates to return said carrier to normal position.
27 is a guide block secured in the frame of the machine and having a channel 28
of a width sufficient to contain the carrier chain with the loose links thereon, said
chain and links fitting snugly in said block, whereby disarrangement of the links is
prevented. During the passage of the carrier chain through this block the rivets
are inserted through the links and then headed. I have provided? mechanism for
cutting off these rivets from a continuously fed wire, and for delivering said rivets
in proper position preparatory to their insertion through the links, and I will now
describe such mechanism in detail.
29 is the wire which is led through ordinary straightening rolls, 30. 31 is a
block adapted to slide freely within a way 32, in the frame, and having extending
outwardly therefrom ears, 33, and between the latter are independent clutch
blocks, 34, 35, which have complementary elongated circular grooves, 36, 37, in
their inner meeting faces. 38 is a lever pivoted at 39 between the ears 33, and
having its inner end cam-shaped, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, so that when
said lever is swung forward it will operate to close the clutch blocks, 34, 35, and on
the reverse movement of said lever said blocks will be free to open. A pin, 40
through said lever acts as a stop which abuts against the cars, 33, and prevents any
overthrow of the lever and consequent closing of the blocks on this reverse move-
ment of the lever.
Pivoted to the frame at 41 is a vertical lever 42, having a fork 43 at the upper
end, which embraces the lever 38, as shown at Figure 4. 44 is a slide which is
capable of free reciprocation within suitable ways in the frame, and has extending
therefrom, on opposite sides of the lever 42, studs 45, 46. Extending through the
studs 46 toward the lever 42 is a screw bolt, 47.
From the foregoing it will be clear that when the part 44 slides back and forth
the stud 45 and bolt 47 will alternately abut against the lever 42 and swing it in
opposite directions, thereby effecting the reciprocation of the block 31. The wire
is led through the clutch blocks 34, 35, so that it will be readily understood that
when the lever 38 is carried forward by the lever 42, the blocks will grip the wire
and feed it along, while, on the other hand, the blocks will be released and will be
free to slide along the wire when said levers move in the opposite direction.
48 is a cutter which slides within suitable ways within a block 49 extending
laterally from the frame. As the wire is fed forward it is projected through and
beyond the wall of the frame, and the arrangement of said block is such that at its
forward movement it will cut off the wire by a shear cut close to said wall. The
rivets 50, thus made by cutting off the wire, fall successively into a chute 51, which
leads them to the device for properly assembling them within the chain links.
The reciprocation of the cutter is effected by means of a bell-crank 52 pivoted

page_text: at 53 to the frame, the upper end of said crank abutting against the rear end of
said cutter while the lower end rests against a cam 54 on the shaft 4. 55 is a
spring secured to the frame and bearing against the forward part of the cutter
whereby the latter is normally retracted. The bottom of the chute 51 is directly
opposite to and in alignment with the pierced openings in the links.
The reciprocating slide 44 extends beneath the guide block 27 and has turrets 56, 57,
which rise on opposite sides of said block. Within these turrets are suitable
bushings 58, 59, and through these bushings extend pins 60, 61, confined by set
screws 62, 63. These pins are in alignment with the bottom of the chute and with
each other. The pin 60 has a conical point at its end and the block 27 is perforated
to admit both pins during the reciprocation of the slide 44. As this slide 44 moves
inward the pointed pin 60 will enter the holes in the links and render the alignment
of said holes perfectly true, and at the same time a rivet will drop to the bottom of
the chute in front of the pin 61, while at the outward movement of said slide, the
pin 61 will push the rivet within the holes in the chain links preparatory to the
operation of the rivetting mechanism.
The means for actuating the slide 44 comprise a lever 64, pivoted at 65 to the
frame, one end of said lever being rounded, as seen at 66, and extending between
lugs 67 which depend from the slide, the other end provided with a shoe 68 (shown
in dotted lines at Figure 3) which projects within a cam groove 69 in the compound
cam 7, and as the cam revolves lateral reciprocation will be imparted to the
lever 64, thereby effecting the movements of said slide.
I will now describe the mechanism for heading the rivets after the latter have
been assembled within the links. 70, 71, are bars which are journalled within
suitable bearings 72, 73, on opposite sides in the frame in such manner as to bė
capable of both rotary movement and lengthwise reciprocation.
74, 75, are ratchet hubs secured on said bars near the outer ends thereof, and
76, 77, are pawls pivoted to the frame and backed by springs 78, 79, which pawls
are in engagement with the ratchets, the teeth of the latter being skewed, so that
when the bars 70, 71, are moved lengthwise, the action of the teeth on the pawls
will operate to turn the bars axially.
80, 81 are coil springs around the outer ends of the bars and confined between
the ratchets and plates, 82, 83, respectively. 84, 85, are threaded bolts which
extend outwardly from the frame immediately below the outer ends of the bars.
The plates, 82, 83, are supported around these bars and bolts so as to slide freely
thereon. 86, 87, are nuts driven on the bolts 84, 85, against the said plates,
whereby the springs 80, 81, may be more or less normally compressed in order to
increase or decrease the striking force of the bars at their inward movements.
88, 89, are riveting heads secured to the inner ends of the bars and extending
through the guide block 27 on opposite sides of the channel therein.
90, 91, are sleeves loose around the bars, 70, 71, and having lugs 92, 93, depending
therefrom. These sleeves are confined at their outer ends by shoulders, 94, 95 on
the bars, while the inner ends of said sleeves act as stops which abut against the
bearings 73, whereby the inward movement of said bars is limited, for the purpose
of insuring uniformity in the formation of the rivet heads and to prevent the
jamming of the links.
Journalled in the frame at points immediately behind these lugs, 92, 93, are short
shafts, 96, 97, on which latter are secured striker wheels which comprise hubs 98, 99,
having projecting therefrom arms, 100, 101.
102 is a shaft journalled at the bottom of the frame and having mounted thereon
a small pulley, 103, and a large pulley 104, the latter having around it two
belts 105, 106.
107, 108, are small pulleys secured on the shafts 96, 97, and around these pulleys
the belts 105, 106 are run, the latter belt being twisted in order that the striker
arms 100 may be thrown toward to lug 92.
Mounted on the main shaft 2 is a pulley 109, which is belted to the pulley 103 by
belt 110

page_text: The lugs, 92, 93, are within the field of action of the striker arms 100, 101, and
as the latter revolve they will throw back the bars, and then release them to
allow the springs 80, 81, to drive said bars inward, whereby the heads are formed
on the rivets.
As riveting mechanisms are well known, and since I do not lay claim to any
improvement in such mechanisms, and for the further reason that any riveting
mechanism will subserve the purposes of my invention, I do not deem it necessary
to go into further details in this connection.
The operation of riveting occurs while the carrier chain and the superimposed
chain links are stationary, and it therefore becomes necessary to suspend the action
of the riveting bars during the time when said carrier and links are travelling.
To this end I provide two levers, 111, 112, pivoted at 113, 114, to the frame,
and embracing the cam 7 at their heel ends, while their forward ends are
respectively pivoted to pitmen, 115, 116, the other ends of the latter being pivoted
to the lower extremities of retractor bars 117, 118. These retractor bars are
vertically disposed, and are pivoted respectively at 119, 120 to the frame, the upper
ends of said bars resting against the inner walls of the lugs 92, 93.
The cam operates to contract the forward ends of the levers, 111, 112, thereby
causing the retractor bars to force back the lugs without the field of action of the
arms 100, 101, and the action of said cam is such that the lugs are held in this
position at all times except when the carrier chain is stationary.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:
The carrier with the links properly. assembled thereon brings the latter into
position with the rivet holes opposite the pins, 60, 61, the pin 60 brings said holes
into perfect alignment, and the pin 61 pushes a previously cut rivet within said holes.
The links are then carried forward and brought to a standstill with the rivets
opposite to the heads of the riveting bars, and the latter then operate to form heads
on each end of the rivets.
The walls of the channel, 28, serve as anvils against which the riveting is done,
while the riveting bars themselves are arranged one in advance of the other, so that
while the bar nearest the rivet inserting devices is operating to form the heads on
one side of the rivets, the furthermost bar is operating to form the heads on the
other side of the rivets that have been previously headed on one side. During this
heading of the rivets, the pins 60, 61 are operating to perform their functions on
subsequent links. Simultaneously with the intermittent movements of the carrier
chain, the lugs 92, 93, are forced back by the retractor bars, 117 118, out of reach
of the striker arms, so that until said chain again becomes stationary the riveting
bars will be idle, but, at the same time with the stopping of the chain, the retractor
bars will be drawn back and the riveting bars again brought into action.
The wire is fed and cut off into rivets by the mechanisms and in the manner
hereinbefore described, and such rivets drop into the chute 51, thereby affording a
constant automatic supply of rivets.
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 manufacturing cable chain, the combination with means for
feeding the chain links assembled in proper relative position, of appliances for
cutting off the rivets and delivering them into proper position relative to the links,
mechanism for inserting the rivets within said links, and means for forming heads on
the ends of the rivets so inserted, substantially as set forth and described.
2. In a machine for making cable chain, the combination of automatically
controlled mechanisms for feeding the chain links properly assembled preparatory
to riveting, for inserting the rivets within said links for heading said rivets after
such insertion, and for suspending the operation of the rivet inserting and heading
mechanisms during the feeding of the links, substantially as set forth.
3. The hereindescribed means for carrying the chain links, comprising a chain

page_text: like the article to be manufactured, said chain having twin ears rising between the
adjacent ends of outer links, and single ears rising between the adjacent ends of inner
links, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of the carrier chain provided with ears as described whereby
the chain links may be properly assembled on said carrier, the guide block having
a channel within which the links thus assembled are carried, means for intermittingly
feeding said carrier chain, means for inserting the rivets within the links while the
latter are stationary within the guide block, and means for simultaneously heading
previously inserted rivets, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination of the guide block having therein a channel for the passage
of the chain links and provided with perforations leading into said channel from.
opposite sides thereof, the chute whose bottom is in alignment with said
perforations, means for feeding the wire to a point immediately over the mouth of
the chute, and devices for cutting off said wire into rivets which drop into said
chute, substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of the guide block having a channel for the passage of the
carrier chain and the links superimposed thereon and provided with perforations
leading in alignment with each other into said channel from opposite sides of the
block, the reciprocating slide carrying pins in alignment with said perforations,
means for delivering the rivets in front of one of said pins, and mechanism for
actuating said slide whereby the pins will successively enter the pierced holes in the
links to bring them into proper alignment and to insert the rivets, substantially as
shown and described.
Dated this 94th down L1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.