IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF OFLING
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Henry Ward of the firm of Lee Howl Ward
and Howl of Tipton in the County of Stafford Engineers for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF
OFLING"
STUDDED'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Henry Ward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th October 1882.
THOMAS HENRY WARD of the Firm of Lee Howl Ward and Howl of Tipton in
the County of Stafford Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH THE
MANUFACTURE OF STUDDED" CHAINS
My Invention relates to the manufacture of the class of chains known as
"studded" chain, that is to say, chains the links of which are strengthened by a
stud or strut piece between the links and my said Invention has for its object to
render it possible to manufacture the said chains of a much smaller size than
hitherto and also generally to facilitate the manufacture of such chains These
struts or studs have heretofore been made of cast metal upon which the malleablo
iron links have been beaten down. According to my Invention I form these
struts or studs from wrought iron as follows. I take a strip of wrought iron and
I pass it through rolls or submit it to the action of a cutting tool or otherwise
treat it so as to form thereon at opposite sides longitudinal grooves or recesses of
a size and shape corresponding to the size and shape of the links of the chain to be
made. I then cut up the wrought iron grooved strips into pieces of the size
necessary for the struts or studs of. cable chains. The links are heated and
hammered or pressed upon the said struts or studs so that the sides of the links
engage with the grooves in the struts which were formed by the rolling or cutting
process. Instead of taking strips the grooves may first be formed in a plate and
this plate be then cut into strips and these afterwards be cut up into studs as
herein before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Henry Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th April 1883.
THOMAS HENRY WARD of the firm of Lee Howl Ward and Howl of Tipton in
the County of Stafford Engineers "IMPROVEMENTS IN, OR CONNECTED WITH, THE
MANUFACTURE OF 'STUDDED' CHAINS"
ff
My Invention relates to the manufacture of the class of chains known as
cable" chains that is to say chains the links of which are strengthened by a stud
or strut piece between the links These struts or studs have heretofore been made
of cast metal upon which the malleable iron links have been beaten down.
My said Invention has for its main object to produce a chain of small size
adapted for crane or pulley block purposes generally which shall have the ad-
vantage of the strength given by struts or stud pieces. Hitherto it has not been
practicable to make such cable chains of smaller diameter than about Five eighths of
an inch as owing to the studs or struts being of cast iron if the chains were made
small according to the ordinary manufacture the said studs or struts would be too
brittle to be reliable and moreover they cannot be cast regularly enough in the
curved beds to be of practical use and the chains when finished are too rough or
too long to ride steadily over pulleys whilst the cost of production would be too
high to justify their manufacture.
According to my Invention I form these struts or studs from wrought iron or
steel as follows:-I take a strip of wrought iron or steel and I pass it through rolls
or submit it to the action of a cutting tool or otherwise treat it so as to form
thereon at opposite sides longitudinal grooves or recesses of a size and shape
corresponding to the size and shape of the links of the chain to be made. Figure 1.
of the accompanying drawing is an elevation and Figure 2 is a transverse section
of a strip so treated the longitudinal grooves or recesses being marked a I then
divide the strip by cutting it transversely as indicated by the vertical dotted lines
in Figure 1 into strut pieces or studs one of which is shown in side views at right'
angles to each other and in plan in Figure 3, the said pieces being of the size
necessary for the struts or studs of the chain to be made The links of the chain
are heated and hammered or pressed upon the said struts or studs so that the sides
of the links engage with the grooves in the struts which were formed by the rolling
or cutting process as before mentioned Figure 4 represents a portion of a
completed cable chain manufactured with wrought iron or steel strut or stud
pieces according to my Invention. As short links are best suited for use in cranes
or pulley blocks, to enable the links to be made as short as possible holes as at b in
Figures 3 and 4 may be made in each stud preferably by drilling the strip (before
cutting into pieces) at intervals corresponding to the width of the strut-or stud
pieces Into these holes b a tool is inserted for holding the strut or stud pieces in
place whilst the links are being hammered thereonto whereby it is possible to
make cable chains with links of less length than usual as there is no necessity to
leave sufficient space between the sides of the studs and the ends of the engaging
links for the entrance of the jaws of the tongs. This hole b may however be
dispensed with if preferred. Instead of taking strips as herein before described the
grooves may first be formed in a plate and this plate be then cut into strips and
these afterwards be cut up into studs as hereinbefore described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my Raid
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
:

page_text: and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is.
First. In the manufacture of " cable" chains making studs or strut pieces therefor
from wrought iron or steel trented or shaped and cut as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in tho accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. A cable" chain consisting of wrought iron or steel links with
wrought iron or steel studs or strut pieces produced and employed in the manu-
facture of the said chain substantially as herein before described with reference to
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Henry Ward have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal this soventeenth day of April One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
THOMAS HENRY WARD (L.S.)