Improvements in Chains for Cycles and other such purposes, and in the Manufacture of the same
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chains for Cycles and other such purposes, and in
the Manufacture of the same.
We, ROBERT WOOTTON, of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford, Merchant
and BENJAMIN HEWITT of 72 Wiggin Street, Icknield Port Road, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object improvements in chains for cycles and other
such purposes and in the manufacture of the same by which we are enabled to
produce such chains with much greater rapidity and consequently much cheaper
while chains made in accordance with our improvements are equally as strong and
reliable as those hitherto in use.
same.
In carrying our invention into effect we form the blocks of the chain of drawn
seamless tube which is drawn into the necessary shape to form the block with an
aperture at each end for receiving the pins for connecting the side links to the
The tubes being drawn in lengths and then severed into pieces of the
requisite width of the block or the ordinary round tube may be severed into
the desired widths of blocks and each of the pieces be stamped or pressed into the
desired shape of the block in which case mandrels may be inserted within the ends
where the pins pass through to ensure a dead centre for the pins. My improvement
may be applied to roller chains as well as those upon the block principle.
Dated this 31st day of March 1894.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.
Improvements in Chains for Cycles and other such purposes, and in
the Manufacture of the same.
We, ROBERT WOOTTON of Smethwick, in the County of Stafford Merchant
and BENJAMIN HEWITT, of 72 Wiggin Street Icknield Port Road, Birmingham
in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has for its object improvements in driving chains for cycles and
other purposes, and in the manufacture of the same, by which we are enabled to
manufacture such chains with much greater rapidity and consequently with a great
reduction in cost, while by our improvement a considerable saving in weight is
effected.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practise we have appended hereuuto a sheet of drawings upon which we have
fully illustrated the nature of our said improvements together with the mode of
carrying the same into effect.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of one of our improved blocks.

page_text: Figure 3, is a section of a portion of chain manufactured in accordance with our
improvements.
Figure 4, is a side elevation of Figure 3.
Figure 5, is a section showing a modification in the mode of manufacture.
Figure 6, is a sectional plan of Figure 5.
Figure 7, is a similar view to Figure 5 showing a continuation of this mode.
Figure 8, is a section through the pin of the chain.
Figure 9, is a similar section to Figure 8 but showing the pin rivetted in position
in the chain.
Figure 10, shows one mode of rivetting the tubular pins to the link.
Figure 11, is a side elevation of a block showing a modification of Figure 1.
In carrying our invention into effect we form the blocks A of the chain of
seamless or other similar tube which is converted into the necessary shape for
forming the block or pivot piece as shown by Figure 1 having the bearing holes a¹
for receiving the pins B for connecting the side links C to the same. The tubes
are preferably drawn in lengths to the section shown by Figure 1 and are then
severed into pieces of the requisite width to form the block as shown by Figure 2.
These are then joined together through the intermediate links C by the pins B and
it will be seen that the pins take a full bearing upon that side of the block i.e. a³,
upon which the strain is brought to bear while on the reverse side the small
recess a formed by the curve of the block renders great assistance to perfect
lubrication. We may in place of drawing the tube to the required shape form it
from ordinary tube A' of round or oval shape as shown by Figure 5 each block or
pivot piece being first cut off and then stamped or pressed into the desired shape
by shaped dies E such as shown by Figure 7, an intermediate mandrel D being
provided as shown by Figure 6 which ensures the bearing surface being perfectly
true for the reception of the pins B which are thus also certain of a dead centre.
We may find it preferable to insert steel tube bushes F in the apertures a¹ of the
block as shown by Figure 11 this being effected in the course of stamping or
pressing the block into the required shape. The pins B may be solid but for the
purpose of reducing the weight we prefer to form them of seamless steel tube as
shown by B Figure 8 the shoulder 2 for the reception of the link being formed
in the usual way and in case of rivetting we may use a special punch such as F
Figure 10 in which the projecting nose enters the tube while the edges of the
pin are being turned over by the shoulder f' as shown by 6 Figure 9 and these we
may apply to the roller chains now in use with similar advantage. We may vary
the shape of the block such for instance as shown by Figure 2A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. The improvements in driving chains for cycles and other purposes and in
the manufacture of the same substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth
and shown upon the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In chains for cycles and other purposes the blocks or pivot pieces A of
scamless or other similar tubing substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth and shown.
3rd. In combination with chains for cycles and other purposes as herein
described the pins B¹ made from tube substantially as and for the purpose herein
set forth and shown.
Dated this 1st day of January 1895.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.