Improvements in the Manufacture of Weldless Chains and in Machinery employed therein.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Weldless Chains and in
Machinery employed therein.
I, ALEXANDER GEORGE STRATHERN, Hillside, Stepps, in the County of Lanark,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of weldless chains
and machinery employed therein, from a bar of cruciform section, by a consecutive
series of stampings while the bar is hot.
The present improvements relate principally. to the first stage of manufacture,
and have for object the securing of greater uniformity and soundness of the links
and the simplifying of the machinery for the purpose.
In carrying out this invention bars of metal of cruciform section are heated
and caused to pass between dies each having a vertical and a horizontal face which
faces are adjacent to each other and have protuberances and depressions formed
on them corresponding to the form of link desired. The links may be long or
short, stayed or unstayed with or without thickened ends and the dies may be
formed so that tho stay is an integral part of the link. After the bar has been
acted upon by the dies it forms a series of enchained links which are held together
by a thin film of metal, this surplus metal is removed and the subsequent operations
performed in the manner hereinafter set forth.
I will now proceed to describe the machinery to be used for operating the dies
and other forming mechanism in manipulating bars of cruciform section to form
weldless chains. To the main framing of the machine are attached four guide
brackets through which work four rams each carrying a die. These dies are
secured at the inner ends of the rams while double links are attached to the outer
ends and pivoted on the main frame so as to form toggles, a wedge adjustment
being also provided for the purpose of positioning the dies. The toggles and con-
sequently the dies are actuated simultaneously by the oscillation of a disc mounted
on a hollow trunnion secured to or forming part of the main frame of the machine,
the disc being oscillated by means of a connecting rod worked from a crank
mounted on a shaft carrying a driving wheel, or the crank may form a part of this
wheel, the wheel in either case being driven by a pinion mounted on the crank
shaft of a motor engine or by a shaft provided with fast and loose pulleys and
driven by a belt or by spur or worm gearing. The disc for operating the toggles
has slots formed in it which are fitted with sliding bushes to suit the move-
ment of the toggle pins. The mode of operation is as follows:-The bar is prefer-
ably fed into the machine by toothed rollers geared to rotate together and loaded
by weights or springs to exert the necessary pressure on the bars, these rollers being
actuated by suitable mechanism to give an intermittent and adjustable feed.
When the bar has passed a sufficient distance through the machine, and has con-
sequently a certain number of chain links impressed upon its surface another
method of feeding is preferably adopted consisting of two pairs of rolls arranged

page_text: to grip the vertical and horizontal webs of the bars, these rolls having projections
and depressions corresponding to the size and shape of link and these projections
and depressions may be used to remove the thin web of metal left internally and
externally between the links and also to round the interior portion of the sides of
the links left sharp by the action of the dies. When feeding the bar, the first
pair of feed rollers are thrown out of gear as soon as the bar is gripped by the
second pair of rolls, the latter being actuated by suitable mechanism to give an
intermittent and adjustable feed.
In a modification of the foregoing, the toggle may be replaced by cams con-
structed to depress and withdraw the rams, the cams being mounted on studs
secured to the main frame, and having projections forming bell crank levers.
These levers are attached to side rods so as to form a complete cycle and permit of
simultaneous action of the dies. The cams are driven by a connecting rod, one end
of which may either be fixed to a bell crank or side rod, and the other end be
coupled to a crank attached to the driving wheel, which wheel is driven by a
pinion on the motor engine shaft as before. A wedge adjustment is also provided
in this case for the dies, and the feeding of the bar is accomplished in a similar
manner to that already described.
Although the dies before mentioned are only formed to stamp two links at a time
one link on the vertical and one link on the horizontal web of the bar, it is obvious
that the length or number of the dies may be increased so as to stamp one and a
half or several links on each web of the bar at the same time.
After the bar has been stamped and the surplus metal removed either by the rolls
before mentioned or by suitable punchers or cutters, the links are separated and any
remaining barbs removed, the links being finally closed if necessary between suit-
able dies to give the ultimate form desired. At this latter operation the studs
would be inserted if necessary.
The driving wheel is or may be arranged to run loose on its shaft, in which
case it will have attached to it one member of a clutch the other member being
free to slide on feather keys on the driving shaft. The sliding member will be
pushed in and out of gear automatically when it is required to suspend the opera-
tion of the dios.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applican
Improvements in the Manufacture of Weldless Chains and in
Machinery employed therein.
I, ALEXANDER GEORGE STRATHERN, Hillside, Stepps, in the County of Lanark,
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 relates to improvements in the manufacture of weldless chains,
and in machinery employed therein, the chain being produced from a bar of cruci-
form or similar section, by a consecutive series of stampings while the bar is hot.
The present improvements relate principally to the first stage of manufacture,

page_text: and have for object the securing of greater uniformity and soundness of the links
and the simplifying of the machine for the purpose.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1
is a front view from the feeding in end of my improved machine for forming
enchained links from cruciform or similarly shaped bars, the feeding mechanismi
being omitted for greater clearness. Figure 2 is a plan and Figure 3 is a part
vertical longitudinal section and part elevation of the machine, the section through
the framing being taken partly diagonal and partly vertical, and shewing the feed-
ing mechanism in position. Figures 4 and 5 are views at right angles to each other
of the toggle levers for actuating the dies these being drawn to a larger scale than
Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 6 is a perspective view shewing the various stages of
formation of the chain from the bar to the separation of the chain links.
In carrying out this invention bars of metal A which are of cruciform section as
shewn particularly at D, Figure 6, are heated and caused to pass between dies B
each having a vertical and a horizontal face, which faces are adjacent to each other
and have protuberances and depressions formed on them corresponding to the form
of link to be produced. These dies are so arranged and operated as to enter the angles
formed by the webs of the cruciform bar and act simultaneously on the vertical
and horizontal webs. The links C may be long or short, stayed or unstayed, with
or without thickened ends and the dies may be so formed that a stay is produced
as an integral part of the link. After the bar A has been acted upon by the dies
it forms a series of enchained links as shewn at D1, Figure 6, which are held together
by a thin film D* of metal, and this surplus metal is subsequently removed.
I will now proceed to describe the machinery to be used for operating the dies B
and other forming mechanism in manipulating bars of cruciform section to form
weldless chains. To the main framing E of the machine are attached four guide
brackets through which work four rams F each carrying a die B. These
dies B are secured at the inner ends of the rams F while links G are attached to
the outer ends of the rams F and pivoted on bushes G¹ so as to form toggles, a
wedge adjustment H shewn particularly at Figures 4 and 5, being also provided
for the purpose of positioning the dies B. The toggles G and consequently the
dies are actuated simultaneously by the oscillation of a disc I mounted on a hollow
trunnion E¹ secured to or forming part of the main frame E of the machine, the
disc I being oscillated by means of a connecting rod or rods J worked from a crank
or cranks K mounted on a shaft K¹ carrying a driving wheel L, or the crank mav
form a part of this wheel, the wheel L in either case being driven by a pinion M
mounted on a counter-shaft M¹ which is in turn geared to the crank shaft N of a
motor engine or by a shaft provided with fast and loose pulleys and driven by a
belt or by spur or worm gearing. The disc I for operating the toggles G has
slots I¹ formed in it which are fitted with bushes G₁ which carry the toggle pins.
The mode of operation is as follows:-The bar A is preferably fed into the machine
by toothed rollers P geared to rotate together and loaded by weights or springs
to exert the necessary pressure on the bars, these rollers being actuated by suitable
mechanism to give an intermittent and adjustable feed. This feeding mechanism
may, as shewn, consist of a bell crank lever R one arm of which is acted on by a
cam piece I on the oscillating disc I and the other arm of which actuates a nawl
carving lever S. the pawl acting on a ratchet T secured on the side of one of the
feeding rollers P. When the bar A has passed a sufficient distance through the
machine, and has consequently a certain number of chain links impressed upon its
surface, another method of feeding is preferably adopted consisting of two pairs
of rolls U, U¹, arranged to grin the vertical and horizontal webs of the bars, these
rolls having projections and depressions corresponding to the size and shape of
link C. and these projections and depressions may be used to remove the thin
web D' of metal left internally and externally between the links C and also to
round the interior portion of the sides of the links left sharp by the action of the
dies. When feeding the bar, the first pair P of the feed rollers are thrown out of
gear as soon as the har is gripped by the second pair of rolls, the latter being

page_text: actuated by suitable mechanism, such as shewn, and consisting of an arrangement
of levers V, V, V2, and pawl 3 actuated in the same manner as described with
reference to the first pair P of the feed rollers, to give an intermittent and adjust-
able feed.
In a modification of the foregoing, the toggle G may be replaced by cams con-
structed to depress and withdraw the rams, the cams being mounted on studs
secured to the main frame, and having projections forming bell crank levers.
These levers are attached to side rods so as to form a complete cycle and permit
of simultaneous action of the dies. The cams are driven by a connecting rod, one
end of which may either be fixed to a bell crank or side rod, and the other end be
coupled to a crank attached to the driving wheel, which wheel is driven by a
pinion on the motor engine shaft as before. A wedge adjustment is also provided
in this case for the dies, and the feeding of the bar is accomplished in a similar
manner to that already described.
Although the dies beforementioned are only formed to stamp two links at a
time, one link on the vertical and one link on the horizontal web of the bar, it is
obvious that the length or number of the dies may be increased so as to stamp one
and a half, as shewn at Figure 4, or several links on each web of the bar A. at the
same time.
4
.
After the bar has been stamped and the surplus metal D' removed either by the
rolls U, U¹, before mentioned or by suitable punches or cutters, the links are
separated and any remaining barbs removed, the links being finally closed if
necessary between suitable dies to give the ultimate form' desired. At this latter
operation the studs would be inserted if necessary. The driving wheel L is or may
be arranged to run loose on its shaft K¹ in which case it will have attached to it one
member of a clutch W the other member being free to slide on feather keys on the
driving shaft K¹. The sliding member will be pushed into or out of gear auto-
matically when it is required to suspend the operation of the dies.
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. The manufacture of weldless cliains substantially as described by subjecting a
bar of cruciform or similar section, while hot, to the action of intermittently
operated dies disposed radially around the bar and having acting faces adapted
to press simultaneously on the vertical and horizontal webs or ribs forming the
four angles of the bar, whereby the metal is pressed into separate links engaging
with each other.
2. The combination of parts constituting the improved machine herein before
described for producing weldless chains from bars of cruciform or similar section.
3. A machine for producing weldless chains from hot bars of cruciform or similar
section comprising four dies disposed radially around a common centre and operated
simultaneously by toggle levers or like means in combination with devices for
intermittently feeding forward the bar when the dies are retracted substantially as
described.
4. In a machine for producing weldless chains from bars of cruciform or similar
section the arrangement of pressing dies having protuberances and depressions
on adiacent faces, in combination with toggle levers connected to them and to an
oscillating frame for operating the dies substantially as described.
Dated this 11th dow of Tuna 1000
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather
Chartered Patent Agents,
St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.