Improvements in or relating to Metal Driving Chains.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Metal Driving Chains.
We, JOHN WILLIAM HOLLAND, of 10, Sparsholt Road, Crouch Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and ARTHUR ANTHONY, of 60, Great Hampton
Street, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford Cycle Maker do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to metal chains of a kind similar to those used for
driving cycles, lawn mowers, motor carriages and other vehicles and apparatus
and comprises an improved construction of link and pin. The improvements
consist in forming the link and pin in such a way that the pin may be fixed
in position without being rivetted which allows of the pin being made very
hard and so materially increases its strength and its resistance to wear and pre-
vents, if not altogether, to a very great extent the stretching of the chain so
avoiding or minimising as the case may be the troublesome adjustment or tighten-
ing of the chain which now so frequently occurs. In the form of chain in use
for driving cycles and other vehicles it is a common practice to rivet the links
together with a pin which is in a position forming a right angle with the link or
link plate, the distance between the links or link plates on opposite sides to
one another being determined by having shoulders made upon the pins them-
selves or by separate distant pieces. It is necessary that these pins or rivets
This
should be of somewhat soft material so that they may be rivetted over.
condition of softness renders the pin very subject to wear and is the cause of
the stretching of the chain referred to above. One modification of our improve-
ments consists in providing the links with the usual rivet holes at each end and
in addition we make a slot in each link immediately between the rivet holes and
extending into them both, the pin which can be of hard material is provided
with a head or other projection of such a size as will pass through the rivet hole
in the link. The link is then compressed on its edge as fixed to the chain so
as to close more or less the slot or aperture between the rivet holes, this pro-
cess also tends to close the metal on the under side of the head of the pin and
fasten it in position. In another modification we make the pin and link as above
described with the usual rivet holes one at each end but do not cut the slot in
the link. Instead when the link is placed upon the pins we crease indent or
groove the link in such a way as to compress it around and under the head of
the pin and so fasten it in position. We have described the link on one side
of the chain only but it will be understood that the links on both sides of the
chain are made and operated in the same manner. We provide shoulders to the
pins or distant pieces in the same manner as is usual.
We do not confine our-
selves to a round section at the ends of the pins they may be square or other
shape and the holes in the links would be made to correspond. The head is

page_text: formed by cutting a groove of U or other section around or partly around the
parallel end of the pin so that when the link is compressed therein it is held
rigid.
411
JOHN W. HOLLAND.
ARTHUR ANTHONY.
Improvements in or relating to Metal Driving Chains.
We, JOHN WILLIAM HOLLAND, of 10, Sparsholt Road, Crouch Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, and ARTHUR ANTHONY, of 60, Great Hampton
Street, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Cycle Maker, 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 metal chains used for conveying power carrying and
other like purposes and comprises an improved construction of link & pin.
The improvements consist in forming the link & pin in such a way that the
pin may be fixed in position without being rivetted which allows of the pin
being made very hard and so materially increases its strength and resistance to
wear and prevents, if not altogether, to a very great extent the stretching of
the chain. In the form of chain in use for driving cycles and other mechanism
it is usual to rivet the links together in a cross section their positions being
fixed by distant pieces or shoulders formed on the pin. It is therefore necessary
that the pins or rivets should be of a somewhat soft material so that they may
be rivetted over. This condition of softness renders the pin very subject to
wear and causes what is known as stretching of the chain.
One modification of our improvements consists in providing the link plates
with the usual holes at each end for pins or rivets and in addition we make a
slot in each plate immediately between the said holes and extending into them
both, the pin or rivet which can be hardened is provided with a head of such a
size as to go through the hole in the plate. The plate when fixed and thus
with other plates forming the chain is compressed on its edge so as to close more
or less the slot or aperture between the holes, this process also tends to close the
metal on the under side of the head and fix it in position. The head of the pin
is formed by cutting a groove of U or other section around or partly around the
parallel end of the pin so that when the link is compressed therein it is held
rigid. We do not confine ourselves to a round section at the ends of the pins
they may be square or other shape and the holes in the plates may be made to
correspond therewith altho not necessarily of exactly the same shape. In other
respects than those covered by our improvements we follow the usual well
known methods of constructing the chain.
In another modification we make the pin and link in the same way as described
above but we do not make the slot in the link plate, instead we crease indent or
groove the link plate in such a manner as to compress the metal of the link
plate around and under the head of the pin. We have described one side only
of the chain but it will be understood that both are made and operated in the
same way. The term link, plate or link plate are all intended to refer to the
same part that is the connecting plate between the pins.
Examples of construction of metal driving chains according to this invention
are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows side plate as stamped before being pressed up, slot A connects
holes B B and forms one long slot.

page_text: Fig. 2 shows side plate pressed up into shape which it assumes when built
up in chain. The same letters have the same reference as in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows hard steel pin with grooves C C cut in each end. The section of
this pin shows one of the ways in which we cut these slots or grooves.
Fig. 4 shows a chain (block) built up complete D shows side plates, E hard
steel pins with grooves C C, and I steel blocks.
Fig. 5 shows side plate part in section without slot but with holes punched so
as to raise up metal on the one side of link plate, B B are the holes, G shows
metal raised in punching the holes.
Fig. 6 shows method of building up chain with the plates shown in Fig. 5.
The pins are grooved all round and when put in place the raised metal of side
plates is pressed down into this groove. The end of one pin is shown before
metal is pressed down into the groove, D shows side plates, E pins, F block or
roller, G raised metal to be pressed into groove C.
Fig. 7 shews how the above methods of holding pins may be used for roller
chains (or twin roller). The inner plates have plain holes see K Fig. 8 which
just fit over pins thus allowing them to turn freely thereon. The outer plates
are fixed as described in either of the above methods. The letters have the
same reference to parts as in the other drawings. L shows the inner plates.
Fig. 8 shows different plates used in roller or twin roller chains. Outer
plates may be either as H which is shown above this figure on Sheet 2 at Fig. 5,
or as J which is shown at Fig. 1 Sheet 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
we are aware that link plates with slots have been used in the construction
of chains and we do not claim such broadly but what we claim is:-
1st. The compressing or closing of the link plate so as to fasten upon and
fix the pin properly.
2nd. The combination and arrangement of link plate and pin substantially
as described and illustrated.
Dated this 4th day of December 1899.