Improvements in Drive Ohain for Oyoles and other Uses.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Loft 40th Jan 1507
201
1000
Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Loft, 10th Jan, 1507 Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drive Ohain for Oyoles and other Uses.
I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON, of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Mannfacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has relation to chain for communicating motion from a distance,
and principally for driving purposes, and particularly for cycles, and has for its object,
a strong and light chain, not liable to stretch and collect dirt, whilst the same is
capable of becoming self-lubricating.
According to my improvements, the links are also easily fashioned from sheet
metal, and when pinned up will bear a minimum of strain, will run freely over the
chain wheels or the teeth thereof, and are self sheathed from dirt, thereby little or
no covering up by gear casings is found necessary.
According to one form of my invention, each intermediate link is made in the
form of a cap or an inverted box or pocket, preferably elongated, and with the
edges of the mouth or entrance curved or concaved, and also with the opposite end
of the hollow body, which is alike unto a hollow block, formed with pierced and set
back flanges or ears, coming close upon each, and wherethrough the metal of the
adjacent links, shouldered or other rivets pins, or the like pass.
The links are closed on all sides less the bottom and are concaved-shouldered
at the ends and provided with eyed or pierced flanges for their joining up by
pinning.
The alternate links consists of opposite sides, plates, or cheeks joined or united
together by a coupling or bridging web, passing over at the upper part from one
side to the other, and with the end parts of the sides pierced and shaped into nearly
or part circular ears, which take close upon or up to the flanges or ears of the
intermediate links between them,
Now these alternate links are practically solid, by the plates or faces of the sides
coming close up to and upon one another.
The alternate ones form solid block links and the intermediate ones cups, which
later takes over the teeth of the wheels with which they are employed.
The links are preferably made from blanks cut out from sheet metal and then
shaped or raised.
The entrances to the cups if necessary may be flared or proved with leads for
piloting the same onto the teeth.
As a modified form of intermediate or hollow links I remove the closed top or
roof and leave the same open at both top and bottom.
These hollow links, besides being made from blanks of sheet metal may be formed
by cupping sheet metal, then pressing the ends flat into flanges and so forming the
same solid.
Dated this 29th day of August 1896.

page_text: .
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drive Chain for Cycles and other Uses.
I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, 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:-
This invention has relation to chain for communicating motion, principally for
driving purposes, and particularly for use on cycles and has for its object, a strong
and light chain, not liable to stretch or collect dirt.
According to my improvements, the links which are easily fashioned from sheet
metal, and when pinned up will bear a maximum amount of strain, run freely over
the tooth of the chain wheels and are so constructed as to screen the working parts
of the chain and the teeth of the chain wheels from dirt or dust, thereby to a great
extent, obviating the necessity of employing gear cases or other chain covers.
In carrying out one form of my invention, each intermediate link of the chain
is inade in the form of a cap or an inverted box or pocket, preferably elongated, and
with the edges of the mouth or entrance curved or, concaved, and also with the
opposite ends of the hollow body, which is alike unto a hollow block, formed with
pierced ears and brought together flanges or cars, through which and the metal
of the adjacent alternate links, shouldered or other rivets, joining-up pins or the
like pass.
These intermediate links are closed on all sides less the bottom or inner presented
part and are concaved-shouldered at the ends.
The alternate links consist of opposite sides, plates or cheeks joined or united
together by a coupling or bridging web, and with their end parts fashionod into
pierced and separated cars, between which the flanges or ears of the intermediate
links come.
The whole of the links are proferably made from blanks cut out from sheot metal
and then fashioned or raised into the desired shape, whilst the entrances to the cups
of the intermediate links may, if necessary, be flared or provided with loads for
piloting the same onto the teeth to the chain wheels.
As a modified form of intermediate cap or inverted pocket link, I may remove
the closed top so as to leave the same opeu at both top and bottom.
These hollow links, may be formed by capping blanks of sheet metal, then pressing
together the ends of the cups to form the ears or flanges.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a piece of drive chain made
according to one form of my improvements and with the links having covered-in
tops which screen both the working parts of the chain and the chain or sprocket
wheels from dirt or dust.
Figure 2 is a borizontal section of the said length of chain upon the dotted
line, Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of one of the intermediate links
separately.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same, whilst Figure 5 represents a topside
plan and Figure 6 an underside plan of the said link showing more clearly its
pocket formation.
Figure 7 is an end view of the said link, and Figure 8 is a plau of the blank from
which the link is made partly by stamping up and partly by closing.
Figure 9 represents an elevation of one of the alternate links separately, Figure 10
represents a longitudinal vertical section, Figure 11 an end view, Figure 12 a top-
side plan and Figure 18 an underside plan of the same, whilst Figure 14 is a plan
of the blank from which the said alternate link is made.

page_text: In Figures 1 to 14, a are the intermediate links and 6 the alternate links, the
former comprising a hollow body part a', with a closed outer part or top a', and a
mouth or open side a', at the bottom or inner part, and also with a pair of brought-
together ears or flanges a' at each of the ends.
The alternate, links b, comprise a trough-section or hollow body b', having a closed
outer part &, separated sides 6, and a pair of flanges 6, separated from each other
to a distance about equal to the combined thickness of the pair of brought together
ears a', of the intermediate links. are the joining-up pins.
In making up the intermediate links, a blank such as Figure 8 is taken, and then
by press tools the blank is bent into a staple figure in cross section and afterwards
the ends or ears are brought together, leaving the middle part intact and so forming
the box or pocket-like link.
If necessary the said links may be formed by a stamping process.
Figure 15 represents an elevation of an intermediate link made from a long
cupped blank, fashioned into the desired shape by drawing-through and stamping
processes.
Figare 16 is an underside plan of the same..
Figure 17 is a plan of the capped blauk from which the link shown in Figure 15
is made, and Figure 18 is a section of the said blank.
In making a link according to this method, a blank such as shown in Figures 17
and 18 is taken and the end parts are by a series of suitable processes brought
together or fashioned into ears or Banges which are subsequently pierced with rivet
holes as represented in Figure 15.
Figure 19 represents an underside plan of an intermediate link with an open top
and bottom and made up by two plates, fashioned at the middles into half caps
having brought together ears or flanges at the ends, and Figure 20 is a side
elevation of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I deolare that what I
claim is :-
First. In drive chain, making the links, or the intermediate links of the same,
like unto a cap or an inverted pocket with ears or flanges at the two opposite ends.
Secondly. In drive chain, making the links or the intermediate links of the same,
rom sheet metal, and of the figure of a cap or an inverted pocket with a pair of
brought-together ears at each end.
Thirdly. In drive chain, making up the same from a series of intermediate and
lternate links of the constructions described and represented in the accompanying
rawings.
Fourthly. Making intermediate drive-chain links of the type referred to in the
receding claims froin a single cupped blank substantially as described and set forth
n Figures 15, 16, 17 and 18.
Fifthly. The improvements in the links of drive chain, substantially as herein
escribed and set forth.
Dated this 18th doc
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