Improved Method of and Machine for Manufacturing Wire Chains and Chain Links
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Machine for Manufacturing Wire Chains
and Chain Links.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from
abroad by Richard Alvin Breul, of 55 Beach Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut,
United States of America,) to be as follows:-
:―
According to this invention I make wire chains, the links of which have their
ends swaged to form joining or interlocking surfaces, so disposed and constructed as
not to in any way weaken the stock, but on the contrary increase the strength of
the links at the joints. In carrying out my invention I take wire from the coil, cut
it into suitable lengths, bend the ends of the blank to form portions adapted to
overlap, trim or chamfer the ends of the blank, swage these end portions to form
teeth or interlocking surfaces and then close the loop and cause the overlapping
ends to engage. I preferably also twist each link in order to cause the ends
thereof to more securely engage and to give better shape to the chain. As each
link is completed a new blank is threaded through it and then bent into proper form;
when completed being securely joined to the preceding link. In this way
continuous chain, strong and durable and economical in the use of material, is made
from wire.
The machine has suitable power and driving shafts mounted in suitable bearings
in a suitable frame. Wire is fed from a coil by a feeding device which is
reciprocated by means of suitable connections with a cam towards and from the
devices which sever the wire into link lengths and bend it into proper form
to produce a link. On its forward movement the feeding device advances the proper
amount of wire to form a link while on its retreat it moves past the wire without
disturbing it.
The proper length of wire to form a link is severed from the supply by a cutting
edge on a slide which advances at the proper time. The ends of the blank are bent
around two vertical pins by means of suitably shaped slides that are reciprocated
longitudinally of the machine just after the feeding device has operated. The
cutting edge above referred to is on one of these slides. Two slides reciprocating
transversely of the machine towards and from each other act upon the bent ends of
the blank to still further bend them around the vertical pins and also to trim
or chamfer their extremities. Both the longitudinal and transverse slides above
referred to are operated by means of suitable connections with cams. The vertical
pins around which the ends of the blank are bent are mounted on a frame which, at
the proper times, rises and falls to elevate and withdraw the pins. As soon as the
ends of the blank are bent and chamfered as just described the vertical pins are
withdrawn and the transversely moving slides recede. The next operation is
to form the blank into a V shape; this is performed by a longitudinally moving
slide carrying jaws co-operating with a vertical post. The post is raised and
lowered at the proper times by suitable connections with a cam and the slide
carrying the jaws is in like manner operated.
The jaws are normally held together by a spring and they are suitably shaped at
their ends to engage with the blank at its middle portion and to bend it to the

page_text: proper shape around the vertical post. Suitably shaped surfaces bear on the outer
edges of the jaws and hold them in such manner while they are advancing, as to
resist the strain incident to the bending of the blank. The blank is bent by the
jaws in such manner as to raise one end thereof to a position a little higher than
the other end so that when the ends are brought together they may be more readily
overlapped. I centre the blank by means of a suitably shaped vertically movable
centering block operated from a cam by suitable levers. After the blank is bent
into shape I swage its bent ends to form teeth or interlocking surfaces. This
operation is performed by means of vertically movable compression dies mounted on
slides, operated by suitable cams and levers. One of these dies is mounted in
a frame to which a slight vertical movement is given by a cam operated lever which
gives the final powerful pressure to swage the teeth or connecting surfaces.
The closing operation is next performed by means of the longitudinally movable
jaws above referred to. These jaws advance to a proper extent to engage with
the V shaped blank and bend it until its two branches are brought to a parallel
position with their ends overlapped and partially engaged thus forming a closed link.
A twister-head is then advanced and a recess therein receives one end of the link.
A jaw in the twister-head is then operated to clamp the end of the link and while
the link is thus clamped the twister is rotated a quarter revolution to twist the link
while it is still held in the bending jaws before described. This operation not only
twists the link but also causes the interlocking ends thereof to more firmly
engage.
The twister and its clamping jaw are operated by suitable cams and levers the
details of which are not important. After the link is twisted the clamping jaw is
re eased, the twister is returned to its normal position and the bending jaws recede
rrying the twisted link with them and then allows it to drop out of the way;
ing supported however by a blank which has previously been fed forward for the
ormation of the next succeeding link. In this way continuous chain is automatically
made from wire taken from the coil. No welding of the ends of the links is
necessary, these ends being securely joined with the use of the minimum amount of
material.
Dated this 28th day of November 1895
Improved Method of and Machine for Manufacturing Wire Chains
and Chain Links.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman (a commu-
nication to me from abroad by Richard Alvin Breul, of 55 Beach Street,
Bridgeport, Connecticut, in the United States of America), 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 :-
According to this invention I make wire chains, the links of which have their
ends swaged to form joining or interlocking surfaces, so disposed and constructed
as not to in any way weaken the stock, but on the contrary increase the strength
of the links at the joints. In carrying out my invention I take wire from the coil,
cut it into suitable lengths, bend the ends of the blank to form portions adapted to
overlap, trim or chamfer the ends of the blank, swage these end portions to form
teeth or interlocking surfaces and then close the loop and cause the overlapping
ends to engage. I preferably also twist each link in order to cause the ends
thereof to more securely engage and to give better shape to the chain. As each
link is completed a new blank is threaded through it and then bent into proper
form; when completed being securely joined to the preceding link. In this way

page_text: continuous chain, strong and durable and economical in the use of material, is made
from wire.
The machine has suitable power and driving shafts mounted in suitable bearings
in a suitable frame. Wire is fed from a coil by a feeding device which is recipro-
cated by means of suitable connections with a cam towards and from the devices
which sever the wire into link lengths and bend it into proper form to produce a
link. On its forward movement the feeding device advances the proper amount
of wire to form a link while on its retreat it moves past the wire without
disturbing it.
The proper length of wire to form a link is severed from the supply by a cutting
edge on a slide which advances at the proper time. The ends of the blank are
bent around two vertical pins by means of suitably shaped slides that are recipro-
cated longitudinally of the machine just after the feeding device has operated.
The cutting edge above referred to is on one of these slides. Two slides
reciprocating transversely of the machine towards and from each other act upon
the bent ends of the blank to still further bend them around the vertical pins and
also to trim or chamfer their extremities. Both the longitudinal and transverse
slides above referred to are operated by means of suitable connections with cams.
The vertical pins around which the ends of the blank are bent are mounted on a
frame which, at the proper times, rises and falls to elevate and withdraw the pins.
As soon as the ends of the blank are bent and chamfered as just described the
vertical pins are withdrawn and the transversely moving slides recede. The next
operation is to form the blank into a V shape; this is performed by a longitudinally
moving slide carrying jaws co-operating with a vertical post. The post is raised
and lowered at the proper times by suitable connections with a cam and the slide
carrying the jaws is in like manner operated.
The jaws are normally held together by a spring and they are suitably shaped
at their ends to engage with the blank at its middle portion and to bend it to the
proper shape around the vertical post. Suitably shaped surfaces bear on the outer
edges of the jaws and hold them in such manner while they are advancing, as to
resist the strain incident to the bending of the blank. The blank is bent by the
jaws in such manner as to raise one end thereof to a position a little higher than
the other end so that when the ends are brought together they may be more
readily overlapped. I center the blank by means of a suitably shaped vertically
movable centering block operated from a cam by suitable levers. After the blank
is bent into V shape I swage its bent ends to form teeth or interlocking surfaces.
This operation is performed by means of vertically movable compression dies
mounted on slides, operated by suitable cams and levers. One of these dies is
mounted in a frame to which a slight vertical movement is given by a cam operated
lever which gives the final powerful pressure to swage the teeth or connecting
surfaces.
The closing operation is next performed by means of the longitudinally movable
jaws above referred to. These jaws advance to a proper extent to engage with the
V-shaped blank and bend it until its two branches are brought to a parallel
position with their ends overlapped and partially engaged thus forming a closed
link. A twister-head is then advanced and a recess therein receives one end of the
link. A jaw in the twister-head is then operated to clamp the end of the link and
while the link is thus clamped the twister is rotated a quarter revolution to twist
the link while it is still held in the bending jaws before described. This operation
not only twists the link but also causes the interlocking ends thereof to more
firmly engage.
The twister and its clamping jaw are operated by suitable cams and levers the
details of which are not important. After the link is twisted the clamping jaw is
released, the twister is returned to its normal position and the bending jaws recede
carrying the twisted link with them and then allow it to drop out of the way,
being supported however by a blank which has previously been fed forward for
the formation of the next succeeding link.

page_text: In order that the invention may be more particularly ascertained, reference is
made to the accompanying drawings in which-
Figure 1 shows a plan view of a machine embodying the improvements;
Fig. 2 shows a rear elevation of the same.
Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line a a of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows a cross-section on the line bb of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a detail view showing part of the mechanism for operating the swaging
dies.
Fig. 6 shows a central cross-section on the line c c of Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 shows on an enlarged scale a front view and also a side view of part of
the mechanism for centering the link while a new link blank is being inserted.
Fig. 8 is a central, longitudinal section on line d d of Fig. 1, looking rearward.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional plan view of the tools which form the links,
said parts being shown in the position they assume just prior to the severing of the
blank.
Fig. 10 is a similar sectional view illustrating the first and second operations
which bend the opposite free ends of the wire blank and at the same time shave off
the outer corners of the ends thereof.
Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view showing one of the slides which assists in the
bending operation and also trims off the corners of the outer ends of the wire.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are enlarged detail sectional plan views, similar to
Figs. 9 and 10, showing the successive stages of operation necessary to complete
the link.
Fig. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the two rods around which the free
ends of the wire are bent, and the mechanism supporting said rods.
Fig. 16 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the incline-slides which
operates upon the slides containing the dies for swaging or forming indentations in
the wire blank.
Figs. 17 to 23, inclusive, illustrate the blank in different stages of the formation
of the link.
The machine as shown is organized to perform six distinct operations to take the
wire from the coil and form it into a continuous chain made up of links constructed
in accordance with my Patent before referred to.
The first of said operations is performed by horizontal slides, which are formed
to cut off the exact length of wire introduced by the feeding device and required
for the construction of a link, said slides being operated to bend the two free ends
of this blank forward against the forming rods, leaving said ends at nearly a right
angle to the body portion as shown in Fig. 18. The next operation is performed
by slides operating at a right angle to the slides which performed the previous
operation.
From the construction shown in Fig. 11, it will be understood that, by a continued
inward movement of the slides, the cutting edges thereof will act to shear off the
outer corners of the opposite ends of the blank, leaving it practically as shown
in Fig. 19. The third operation is performed by a slide which is mounted
independently of, but between, the arms of the horizontal slides above referred to.
This inner slide comes forward and bends the blank practically into ✓ shape against
a vertically moving post, as shown in Fig. 12. The next operation is that of
forming, by vertically moving dies, indentations in the curved ends of the blank
as shown in Figs. 12 and 21; after the indentations are formed the free ends are
brought together to overlap in such a manner that the interlocking surfaces thereof
register and engage with each other. The sixth and final operation completes the
link as shown in Figs. 14 and 23, said Fig. 14 illustrating the forward and
rotary movement of the gripping jaw which brings the over-lapping ends firmly
together and twists the link as illustrated.
Referring to the numerals of reference marked upon the drawings, 1 indicates
the bed, 2 the base, 3 the vertical posts connecting said base and bed, 4 the power
shaft and 5 the power wheel mounted thereon. Said shaft is suitably journalled

page_text: in boxes 6, secured to the rear posts of the machine, and is provided with a pinion 7
which meshes with a gear 8, secured to a cam shaft 9, mounted in boxes 10,
immediately above the power shaft before mentioned. From this cam shaft are
operated the different sets of mechanism necessary to perform the several operations
upon the blank for forming the completed link.
As before stated, the first operation of my machine is that of feeding the desired
length of wire forward to form a link blank. This operation will be best understood
with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 6. The feeding mechanism is operated from the
cam 11, mounted upon the outer end of the cam shaft 9. A lever 12 pivoted at 13
to the bed, and having a link connection 14, with a bell crank lever 15, pivoted
at 16 to the bed, is provided with a fork 17 upon its inner end to engage a suitable
feeding device 18 which is fitted in ways 19 secured to the bed. It is obvious that
by the rotation of the cam above mentioned, the levers will so operate the feeding
device as to reciprocate the same forward and backwards in its ways, thus feeding
the wire an equal distance at each operation thereof.
The operation of severing the blank from the wire will be best understood with
reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings, the first figure showing the wire
prior to being severed, and the latter the position of the tools after the
wire is severed. This severing operation is performed by the cutting edge 20 ou
the double slide 21, which also performs the initial bending operation, as indicated
in Fig. 18. The slide 21 is fitted in suitable ways 22 in the bed and is reciprocated
therein by means of the lever 23 which is pivoted at 24 to the bed of the
machine (see Fig. 1) and bears a roller on one end to engage the groove 25 of
the cam 26, secured to the cam shaft 9 before mentioned.
In connection with the operation just described, I employ a pair of vertically
movable rods 27 and 27%, around which the initial bending operations are
performed. Said rods are mounted upon a movable support 28 secured at 29 to
the underside of the bed, and slide vertically through bores 30 in the block 30°
secured to the bed of the machine. Attached to the underside of the support
above mentioned, is a yoke 31 bearing a roller 32 for engagement of the lever 33,
pivoted to a bracket 34 on the underside of the bed, and having a roller upon its
rear end for engagement of the cam groove 35 in the before mentioned cam 26.
The action of this cam is to operate the mechanism just recited, in such manner as
to retain the rods before mentioned in an elevated position during the initial
bending of the wire blank, and to lower said rods below the surface of the bed
during the remaining operations.
The next operation illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 19, is performed by the sister
slides 36 and 36". When the blank is bent to the position shown in Fig. 18, its
ends are inserted into the recesses 37; the slides are then moved towards each
other transversely of the machine to bend the ends of the blank around the
rods 27 and 27, into the shape shown in Fig. 19, and the further inward movement
of the sister slides causes the edges 38ª to sheer off the extreme ends of the blank,
these shorn off portions being received into the recesses 37, and carried back when
the slides recede and dropped through openings in the bed. The amount of metal
shorn off is trifling, there being practically no waste in the stock as the blank is
not shortened but simply chamfered as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 19, 20 and 21.
The means whereby these sister slides are operated, are in part duplicate
mechanism (see Figs. 1, 3 and 10) and consist of levers 39 and 39ª, pivoted
at 40 and 40%, having link connections 41 and 41, with the vertically disposed
ends 42 and 42" of bell crank levers 43 and 43", which levers are provided with
a toggle connection 44 whereby the two sets of mechanisms are operated
simultaneously. The lever 43ª is provided with an arm 45, the outer end of which
carries a roller to engage a cam groove 46 in the side of the gear wheel 8, upon
the cam shaft 9, previously described. It will therefore be readily understood
that by reason of the connections thus described, the sister slides are operated
from this cam groove and given simultaneous inward and outward movements to
perform the operations for which they are designed.

page_text: The next operation upon the wire blank is the forming of the same into
practically a V shape, such as shown in Figs. 12, 20 and 21. This operation is
performed by means of the slide 47 and the vertically movable post 48. Just
prior to this operation, however, it may be well for me to state that the vertical
rods 27 and 27ª have been drawn down out of the way, so as to allow of the bending
of the wire blank. Referring to Figs. 8, 10 and 12, it will be observed that the
vertically movable post 48 is fitted within a suitable recess in the before mentioned
block 30° of the bed, and is raised and lowered therein by its connections with the
cam groove 49 in the side of the cam 26 before mentioned. Said connections
consist of a lever 50 pivoted to a bracket 51 on the underside of the bed, the inner
end of said lever engaging a roller on the post and the outer end thereof a similar
roller 52 on the lever 53, which is in like manner pivoted to a bracket 54, its rear
-end bearing a roller to engage the cam groove 49, before mentioned.
Said slide 47, is suitably fitted in ways 56 between and slightly below the
slide 21 and the ways 22 before mentioned, and is reciprocated therein by means
of the lever 57 in connection with the cam groove 58 of the cam 26 before
.mentioned.
The slide 47 carries a pair of spring actuated pivoted jaws 59, and 59", the
forward inner surfaces of which are provided with suitable recesses 60 and 60ª,
conforming to the shape of the wire and so arranged as to bend the blank at its
center into a V shape, in such manner that one side thereof will be slightly above
the other so that said hook-like ends will properly overlap each other in the final
closing operation. Immediately below these jaws I provide a suitable hole 61 in
the bed to admit of the exit of the completed chain.
In order to center and place the previously formed link in position, while the
slide 47 is drawn outward and the wire is being fed in and the ends thereof operated
upon, I employ a vertically movable centering block 62, shown in Figs. 6 and 8,
and in detail in Fig. 7, which block is guided by slides in the plates 63 secured to
vertical ways 64 and 64, screwed to the press body 77. The lower portion of this
block is provided with suitable recesses 65 to accommodate the special shape of the
link and the wire to be fed therethrough. Said block is raised and lowered at
proper intervals by means of an arm 66 engaging the same, said arm being secured
to a post 67 secured to the bed of the machine, and is provided with rolls 68, which
are engaged by the incline 69 on the plate 70 secured to the slide 47. From this
construction it will be obvious that when said slide is drawn outward, the roll upon
the arm 66 will ride down the incline, thus lowering the block upon the chain link
and the new wire blank contained therein, and centering the same; in which
position said block remains during the initial operations, whereupon it is again
raised by the forward movement of said slide for the purpose of bending the blank
into V shape.
The next operation is that of swaging the curved ends to produce interlocking
surfaces, or teeth, on the inner sides thereof. This operation is performed by
vertically movable compression dies 71 and 72; which dies are secured to slides 73
and 73, moving in grooves 64° in the ways 64 and 64". These ways are arranged
on the press body 77 incased and held in position by four upright posts 75 which
pass up vertically through a suitable opening in the bed plate, and are secured
together by means of bracing cross-pieces 76, all of which constitute the press
frame, as clearly appears in the drawings. Upon the lower cross-pieces 76
I provide in a similar manner, blocks 78, between which is hinged the lever 79 for
operating said dies, which lever is provided with rollers to engage the cam groove 80
in the side of the gear wheel 8, before mentioned. The slides containing the com-
pression dies are free to move vertically in the grooves of the ways 64 and 64", and
the upper slide is normally held in an elevated position as shown in Fig. 8 by means
of the action of the spring 81, which engages a strip 82 connected with said die,
and whose outer end is rigidly secured to the post 83. The normal, or downward
position of the lower die slide is also shown in said Figure 8 (see also Fig. 6).
Said slide as shown, rests upon an intermediate sliding block 84, which is provided

page_text: with a centrally located shaft 85, whose underside is engaged by a toggle block 86,.
which in turn is engaged and operated by a knuckle 87 on the lever 79 before
mentioned. I provide in the bottom of the sliding block 84 a V-shaped recess to-
accommodate the movement of the toggle 86. The special constructions above.
mentioned are designed to develop great pressure on the dies and ensure durability
of all the mechanism employed, even under an accidental, excessive strain.
Owing to the space between the normal position of the upper and lower dies as
shown in Fig. 8, which space is necessary to admit of the introduction of the
mechanism for twisting the link, I provide means for simultaneously bringing
these dies together to their point of operation by means of mechanism, which I will
now describe (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6).
The top of the upper die, and the bottom of the lower die, are each provided
with inclined surfaces 88, engaged by the inclined slides 89 which are forced
between said die slides and the press body 77 at the top and the sliding block 84
at the bottom, it being obvious that these slides during their inward movement
engage and close said dies against the resistance of the weight of the lower die
and the spring 81 of the upper die, and the final and swaging movement of said
lower die is performed by the lever 79 and its toggle connections. Each of these
inclined slides 89 is provided with a vertical recess 90 to receive the enlarged heads
of the bars 91, whose outer ends are provided with orifices 92 to receive the arms 93.
of the vertical rock shaft 94, which shaft is mounted in suitable bearings 95 upon
the post 75. The lower end of this rock shaft is further provided with an arm 96
which is engaged by the lower extremity of the bell crank lever 97, pivoted to the
bracket 98, the rearwardly disposed arm of said lever bearing a roller which is.
engaged by the cam groove 99 in the side of the before mentioned cam 26. It will
thus be seen that with the successive rotations of this cam 26, the bell crank lever
will rock the vertical shaft, the arms of which will engage the bars 91 and move
the same in and out, together with the inclined slides. After the curved ends of
the blank are swaged, as above described, and as shown in Fig. 21, and after the
compression dies have resumed their normal position, the closing operation is
performed, which folds the link together substantially as shown in Figs. 13 and 22.
This operation is performed by the slide 47, and its spring actuated jaws before.
described, and is performed by a second forward movement of said slides and jaws,
as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, it being obvious that this further movement of said
jaws will have a tendency to close the wire blank together as shown. This operation
leaves the two bent and swaged ends of the wire directly in line and partially
engaged with each other.
The next and final operation upon the blank is that of twisting the same as
shown in Figs. 14 and 23, which operation in addition to twisting the blank, firmly
secures the curved swaged ends thereof together. The mechanism for performing
this operation consists of a cylindrical gripping head 100, which is moved forward
from the position shown in Fig. 13, until the recess between the jaws thereof
engages the overlapping hooked ends of the blank, at which instant the roll 101
of the pivoted jaw 102 will engage the plate 103 thereby operating said jaw to
grip the said end of the link. Thereupon the gripping head will be given a
quarter rotation, thus twisting and completing the link as shown in Fig. 14. The
gripping head now releases the link, and the slide returns with the same to its
normal position, shown in Fig. 9, in which position the wire is fed forward again
and threaded through the link just completed. While the gripping head is
withdrawing from between the compression dies, the initial operations on the next
link are performed in the manner above described.
The mechanism whereby the gripping head is given the several movements
referred to, is as follows: The shaft 104 of the gripping head is mounted in
suitable bearings 105, secured to the bed of the machine, and secured to said shaft
are collars 106 and 107, between which is operatively fitted the forward rounded
end of the lever 108 which is pivoted at 109 to the bed of the machine, and bears
a roller upon its rear end to engage the cam groove 110 in the face of the cam 111.,

page_text: This mechanism serves to force the gripping head inward to the position shown in
Fig. 14 of the drawings, and thereby to engage and clamp together the overlapping
link ends. In addition to this inward movement, said gripping head is given a
quarter rotation by the following mechanism (see Figs. I and 3). The collar 106
is provided with a lug 112 which is engaged by a depending end of the lever 113
which is pivoted to the bracket 114 of the bed, said lever being provided with a
roll to engage the cam groove 115 of the cam 111 before mentioned.
It will thus be seen that with each rotation of said cam, the forward depending
end of said lever will be forced downward against the lug of the collar secured to
the gripping head shaft, turning the same against the action of the spring 116
connected therewith.
The operation of the machine is substantially as follows: The machine is
started with the wire properly inserted into the feeding device, whereupon the
feeding mechanism advances the required length of wire and threads the same
through the link last completed. The slide 21 now moves forward, severs the
blank to the desired length, and thereafter with the same movement the operative
surfaces thereof will engage the free ends of the wire and bend the same against
and around the vertical rods extending through the bores of the block in the bed,
after which the sister slides operate simultaneously, first engaging the extreme
ends of the wire blank, bending the same around the vertical rods, after which the
cutting edges of said slides engage and chamfer the ends of the blank, leaving the
same in the shape shown in Fig. 19. Said slides then return to their normal
position, and the rods around which the ends of the blank have been turned are
withdrawn from the blank to a position below the bed, thus leaving the ends of the
blank free to move ahead. The center slide 47 next moves forward, the jaws
thereof engaging the blank, and folding the same into substantially a V shape, as
is shown in Fig. 20. Said slide remains in this position during the action of the
compression or swaging dies, the first movements of which are effected by means
of the inclined slides 89, which are forced in against the inclined surfaces 88 by
their connections with the vertical rock shaft previously described, after which the
lever 79 operates together with its toggle mechanism which serves to force up the
lower die, thus compressing the ends of the wire against the upper die thereby
swaging the ends of the blank and forming therein interlocking surfaces or teeth.
With the completion of this operation, the mechanism controlling the dies operates
in such manner as to allow the same to return to their normal position, whereupon
the slide 47 again moves forward sufficiently to fully close the blank as illustrated
in Fig. 13. The gripping head then moves forward and operates to twist the
blank, the roll on the arm of the jaw thereof extending in a vertical position until
it engages with the plate 103, which engagement causes said jaw to close, at which
instant the mechanism for rocking said head operates in such manner as to move
the same a quarter rotation, the roll of the jaw riding upon the plate before
mentioned, after which the post is drawn down from the link. This operation
completes the link and upon being released from the gripping head, it is carried
forward with the return movement of the slide 47, while the gripping head returns
towards its normal position.
The several sets of devices for performing the operation just described are
arranged and timed to work harmoniously to produce links and join them into a
continuous chain which is complete in every respect, as it leaves the machine, and
ready for use.
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 method herein described for producing a chain link, which consists in
first bending the opposite ends of a blank, swaging said bent ends to form teeth or
indentations therein, and then overlapping and joining said curved ends.
2.. The method herein described for producing a chain link, which consists in

page_text: bending the opposite ends of a blank to form curved portions adapted to overlap
and constitute one end of the link, swaging said curved end portions to form
interlocking teeth therein, then bending the blank at the center to cause said
curved ends to overlap and engage and then twisting the blank to cause oue end
thereof to lie at an angle to the other and to perfect the junction of the curved
ends of the link.
3. A chain-making machine provided with means for swaging teeth in the ends
of each link blank, and mechanism for bending the blank into proper form to
complete the link and join the toothed ends.
4. The combination, substantially as set forth, of means for swaging teeth in the
ends of a blank, means for then bending the blank to give proper form to the link,
and means for interlocking the teeth in the ends of the link.
5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of mechanism for partially
bending a wire blank, means for swaging the bent ends of the blank to form
interlocking teeth therein, and mechanism for then closing and completing the link.
6. In a chain-making machine, the combination, substantially as set forth, of
mechanism for bending a wire blank at its opposite ends to form curved portions
adapted to overlap and constitute one end of the link, dies for swaging teeth in said
curved ends of the blank, and means for then completing the link.
7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of mechanism for partially
bending a blank to form portions adapted to overlap, dies for swaging teeth in the
ends of the blank, mechanism for overlapping the curved toothed ends of the blank,
and devices for then twisting the link and causing the curved ends to firmly
engage.
8. The combination with mechanism for bending the ends of the blank, of means
for folding the blank into a V shape, dies for forming indentations or teeth in the
connecting surfaces of the opposite ends of the blank, and means for closing the
ends of the blank together.
9. In a chain-making machine, the combination of mechanism, for bending the
ends of a blank to form portions adapted to overlap and form one end of the link,
devices for trimming or chamfering the extreme ends of these curved portions,
means for centrally bending the link and causing the curved portions to overlap,
and means for clamping and twisting the link, substantially as described.
10. In a chain-making machine, the combination of mechanism for bending the
ends of the wire blank to form curved portions adapted to overlap, devices for
trimming or chamfering the extremities of said curved portions, means for bending
the blank into V shape, dies for forming teeth in the curved portions of the link,
and mechanism for closing, overlapping and joining said curved portions.
11. In a machine for making wire chain, the combination of mechanism for
feeding and cutting the wire to lengths, slides for bending the ends of the wire,
the upper and lower dies adapted to form teeth on the curved ends of the blank,
devices for moving the slides towards and from each other, mechanism for applying
powerful pressure to the dies to form the teeth in the link blank, and mechanism
for closing the link and joining the toothed portions thereof.
12. In a chain-making machine, the combination of the vertical rods around
which the ends of the wire blank are bent, the horizontally moving slides which
bend the wire blank around said rods, the sister slides arranged in the same hori-
zontal plane as the horizontally moving slides before mentioned, mechanism for
reciprocating said sister slides in opposite directions to act upon the curved ends of
the blank to still further bend them, and mechanism for bending the blank centrally
and completing the link.
13. In a wire chain-making machine, the combination of the feeding and severing
mechanism, movable rods adjacent to the severing mechanism, a slide operating
upon the ends of the blank to curve them around the rods, mechanism for folding
the ends of the link towards each other, dies for swaging the curved ends to form
interlocking teeth therein, means for uniting said interlocking ends, and devices for
twisting the links.

page_text: 14. In a wire chain-making machine, the combination of the feeding and severing
mechanism, the movable rods in front of which the blank is fed, means for curving
the ends of the blank around said rods, mechanism for trimming or chamfering the
extreme ends of the blank, a movable post, means for folding the blank into
V shape around said post, and means for closing and interlocking the free curved
ends of the blank, substantially as described.
15. In a chain-making machine, the berein-described mechanism for curving the
ends of a wire blank, which consists of the vertical rods adapted to rise into a
position intersecting the line of feed of the wire blank, means for curving the ends
of the blank around said rods, cutters for trimming or chamfering the ends of the
wire, and means for lowering the rods to allow the free forward movement of
the ends of the blank.
16. In a chain-making machine, the combination with the rods, benders for
curving the ends of the blank around said rods, and slides adapted to engage and
shape the ends of the curved portious of the blank, and to chamfer the extreme
ends thereof.
17. In a wire chain-making machine, the combination of the blank feeding and
severing mechanism, the vertically movable rods, a slide which operates upon the
ends of the blank to carve them around said rods, the bending slides arranged at
right angles to the slides above mentioned, means for folding the blank into
V shape, swaging dies for forming interlocking teeth in the curved ends of the
blank, means for closing the V-shaped blank, and means for twisting the link,
substantially as described.
18. In a chain-making machine, the combination with the mechanism for bending
the ends of a wire blank, a vertically movable post, means for folding the blank
into shape around said post, dies for forming indentations in the adjacent
surfaces of the opposite ends of the blank, and means for closing the ends of the
blank together, substantially as described.
19. The combination, substantially as set forth, of means for severing a link
blank, means for bending the blank at its ends, devices for forming teeth or inden-
tations in the curved or bent ends of the blank, means for closing the link, and
centering devices to hold the link when formed in place while a new blank is being
threaded through it.
20. The combination of the wire feeding mechanism, the slides having recesses,
pins opposite the recesses in said slides about which the wire blank is bent, means
for presenting and withdrawing the pins, means for reciprocating the slides, another
slide having a recess adapted to engage with the center of the blank, a post about
which the center of the blank is bent, means for presenting and withdrawing the
post, means for operating the slide to bend the blank at its center, means for
joining the link, and mechanism for twisting it.
21. The combination with means for bending the ends of a blank to form curved
portions, of means for further bending these curved portions and for trimming or
chamfering the extremities, and means for closing the link.
Dated this 27th day of May 1896.