Improvements in Chains Suitable for Use with Sprocket or Chain Wheels for Driving and other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
Improvements in Chains Suitable for Use with Sprocket or Chain
Wheels for Driving and other Purposes.
I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to chains composed of a number of separate links or
parts capable of being put together and taken apart readily without the use of loose
pins or other loose parts independent of or separate from such links, such chains being
suitable for use with sprocket or chain wheels, for driving, or communicating motion
from one wheel to another or it may be from a wheel to some object connected to or
carried by the chain or chains (such as buckets in a chain pump). Such chains as
heretofore usually constructed have been liable to give way under the strains to which
driving chains are subjected in practice; and my invention has reference to a
construction of links such as will obviate this defect. My improved chain; which is
composed of a number of similar interchangeable parts, capable of being connected
together and taken apart readily, and each of which parts I will for the sake of
clearness call a link is constructed as follows:-
In the specification of an application for letters patent bearing even date herewith
and numbered 4119 I have described a construction of such links with two longitudinal
members like loops, connected by a transverse piece or part at one end from which
there projects a neck with trunnions. According to my present invention in lieu of
loops such as described in the above mentioned specification, I provide in connection
with the neck and trunnions a box like device whereof the part from which the neck
projects constitutes one end; the other end which is made with a central opening for
the neck of another link is of a curved form, presenting at each side of the said
opening a recess of semicircular form or approximately so to receive the trunnions of
the said neck. When the trunnions of one link are in the box of another, there
remains a cavity sufficient to receive the sprocket or tooth of a chain wheel. Accord-
ng to a modification the part referred to above as a box is made without a bottom for
the most part to form a space for sprocket or tooth, but at the end further from the

page_text: trunnions has the form of a chamber of approximately circular shape as seen in a
longitudinal section of the link-The end is made with a central opening for the neck of
another link, and with recesses as before described. The mouth of the chamber is or
may be contracted at the respective sides in which case the trunnions are made
flattened at one or opposite sides, or narrower one way than another so that after
insertion and partial rotation they will not be liable to slip out.-Or as a modification
there may be a central longitudinal projection partly over the mouth of the chamber
opposite the opening provided for the neck of an attached link, and the said neck may
be recessed or made narrow at one of its surfaces to clear such projection; then after
insertion and partial rotation of the trunnions of one link within the chamber of
another they will not be liable to become disengaged.
1
1 1007
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: wheels for Driving and other Purposes.
I, ALEXANDER SPENCER, of 77 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Engineer, 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 reference to chains composed of a number of separate links or
parts capable of being put together and taken apart readily without the use of loose
pins or other loose parts independent of or separate from such links, such chains being
suitable for use with sprocket or chain wheels, for driving, or communicating motion
from one wheel to another or it may be from a wheel to some object connected to or
carried by the chain or chains (such as buckets in a chain pump). Such chains as
heretofore usually constructed have been liable to give way under the strains to which
driving chains are subjected in practice; and my invention has reference to a con-
struction of links such as will obviate this defect. My improved chain, which is
composed of a number of similar interchangeable parts, capable of being connected
together and taken apart readily, and each of which parts I will for the sake of
clearness call a link is constructed as follows:-
In the specification of an application for letters patent bearing oven date herewith
and numbered 4119 I have described a construction of such links with two longitudinal
members like loops, connected by a transverse piece or part at one end from which
there projects a neck with trunnions. According to my present invention in lieu of
loops such as described in the above mentioned specification, I provide in connection
with the neck and trunnions a box like device whereof the part from which the neck
projects constitutes one end; the other end which is made with a central opening for
the neck of another link is of a curved form, presenting at each side of the said
opening a recess of semicircular form or approximately so to receive the trunnions of
the said neck. When the trunnions of one link are in the box of another, there
remains a cavity sufficient to receive the sprocket or tooth of a chain wheel. According
to a modification illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings the part referred to
above as a box is made without a bottom for the most part to form a space a for a
sprocket or tooth but at the end further from the trunnions 6 has the form of a
chamber c of approximately circular shape as seen in a longitudinal section of the link.
The end is made with a central opening d for the necke of another link, and with recesses f
as before described. The mouth g of the chamber is shewn contracted at the respective
sides and when it is so made the trunnions are made (as shewn) flattened at one or at
opposite sides or narrower one way than another so that after insertion and partial
rotation they will not be liable to slip out. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a modification
according to which there is a central longitudinal projection / partly over the mouth

page_text: of the chamber c opposite the opening d provided for the neck e of an attached link,
and the said neck may be recessed as shewn at i or made narrow at one of its
surfaces to clear such projection; then, after insertion and partial rotation of the
trunnions of one link within the chamber of another they will not be liable to become
disengaged.
According to a modification illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the cross part k of the link
from which the neck e projects is made concave at the surfaces opposite the
trunnions & and the central part of the chamber c including the bottom is suppressed
so that the portions remaining resemble a couple of hooks to receive the trunnions.
According to another modification illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 to shorten the links I
suppress the neck e and arrange the trunnions bat the sides of the link near the end
thereof. The other end of the link is somewhat widened out and the chamber c is
formed so as to resemble two hooks as shown.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what [
claim is
My improved links substantially as hereinabove respectively described to form
chains suitable for use with sprocket or chain wheels for driving and other purposes.
thin 10th dots of Donember 1887
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.