Machine for Bending Chain Links.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1900
Machine for Bending Chain Links.
I, HEINRICH SPÜHL, of St. Gallen, in the Confederation of Switzerland, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows; —
The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for automatically
bending chain-links in which rolled wire or an iron billet is advanced at certain
intervals, cut and bent around a mandril in such manner, as to form an open
chain link susceptible to be hooked in the last link of the chain already finished.
The welding of the extremities of the readily bent open chain link might then be
effected either by hand or mechanically.
The automatic work characterizing this machine essentially is the following:
During the first quarter of turn of the main shaft, the wire is advanced. Dur-
ing the second quarter, the wire is cut and bent around the upper surface of a
mandril, During the third quarter of turn of the main shaft a pair of tongues
effects the bending of the lower wire extremities, whilst during the fourth quarter
of turn the bending mechanism returns into original position and the remaining
bent chain link is removed from the mandril.
This is the essential novelty of my invention but there are furthermore some
special constructions relating to the advance of the wire, to the heating of the
same during the feeding and means for securing the movement of the bending
tongues. These particular mechanisms will be fully described in the detailed
description hereinafter, I now only point out the essential features which differ
from the known constructions.
The heater, which is necessary for the strong wire guages in order to allow the
wire of easily being bent, is arranged in a peculiar manner between the bending
mechanism and the transporting mechanism and consists of a forge, the coals of
which surround the wire. The forge is provided with a movable bottom by means
of which air is admitted and ashes can be removed without the coals directly
surrounding the wire being altered in position.
In my machine the adjustable mechanism effecting the advance of the wire is
also new, the return of the bending pair of tongues being caused by spring or
weight pressure and determined by an adjustable stop.
Furthermore the driving mechanism for the bending tongues is a novel one.
This mechanism consists of a wheel provided with teeth upon the half of its circum-
ference and of a special arrangement securing the re-engagement.
This are the essential novel points in my improved machine.
My invention will be the better understood with reference to the accompanying
drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 illustrates an elevation view of my machine some parts being illustrated
in section,
Figure 2 is a lateral view of the same partly in section,
Figures 3 & 4 illustrate detail views of the mechanism actuating the pair of
tongues

page_text: Figure 6 shows a detail view of the advance mechanism, the illustration being
a righthand supplement of Figure 2,
Fig. 7 illustrates a section through line yy of Figure 1.
Figure S is a section through line zz of Figure 1,
Figures 9-13 are detail views of the bending mechanism in different positions,
Figure 14 illustrates the position of a chain-link before being welded, the
welding being effected at the round part of the link,
Figure 15 illustrates a modified form of the bending mechanism by means of
which the chain links are welded lengthwise.
Figures 16 & 17 represent detail views of a pair of tongues serving to clamp
the wire.
Figure 18 illustrates the manner of connecting this mechanism to the machine.
Figures 19 & 20 illustrate a modified form of the swages.
Upon the main shaft a driven by the shafts and ², Figures 1, 2 & 3, is
fixed a crank provided with a bolt adapted to slide in a slot c¹ of a rod c linked
to a lever e. This lever e is mounted upon a transverse shaft d. Upon the
shaft further is secured a second lever e¹, Figures 1 & 6. Arms ff are linked
to the free extremity of this lever e, the arms taking into cam levers f f which
are linked to a slide carriage g¹ moving within the guide g. The cams f of the
cam levers fare hollowed somewhat and destined to clamp the wire h and to
advance it at short intervals. g³, Figures 1, 6 & 7, is a stop adjustably mounted
upon the guide for the purpose to determine the return of the slide g¹ caused
by the action of the weight i. Owing to the adjustability of the stop g³ the length
of the advanced piece of wire or of the billet h might be predetermined and
regulated.
The
In the construction illustrated in the drawing destined for use of wire of certain
thickness a forge 1, Figures 1 & 5, fed by the filling shaft, is employed for heat-
ing the wire, which passes through said forge. The bottom of the forge forms
a hollow rotatable drum m¹ adapted to be rotated by means of a crank m.
hollow space of the drum m¹ is in connection with a ventilator in such manner
that the slags or other detrimental products accumulated upon the bottom. of
the drum can be removed from the forge by a quarter-revolution of the crank
without the charge of the forge being shaken.
By repeating the oscillations of the drum m¹ the whole contents of the forge
might be removed.
The grooved bottom of the drum is provided with perforations allowing the
passage of the air coming from the ventilator.
As already mentioned, this forge only is necessary when thick wires or billets
are to be bent.
I now come to explain the bending mechanisms. The righthand side of the
main shaft a³, Figures 1 & 2, carries a crank n, Figure 2, having a bolt which
is provided with an antifriction roller. This bolt circulates in a groove of the
vertical movable slide o, thereby imparting an up-and downwards movement to
the latter. In the lower part of the slide o by suitable means is provided a swage
having a cutting blade 1, Figures 1, 8 & 9. The swage p has a longitudinal
slot allowing a certain adjustability of the swage itself. The circular opening
of the slide o in its lower left part is formed concentrically to the axis of rotation
of the crank, so that when the bolt passes this part, the slide o is prevented to
move upwards. The cutting blade p comes to lie upon the surface 7 of the
angular guide 3 provided for guiding the wire. The conical opening of this
guide forms the cutting edge. The swage 7 is destined to bend the piece of wire
which is cut by the blade p, around a mandril 9 of a triangular section, Figures 1,
2, 9-12. A disc s² and a spring s3 influencing the lever s are provided to effect
the horizontal movement of the mandril q. This disc s2 is mounted upon a
wheel r, carried by a crank shaft r, Figures 1, 2, 3 & 4. The disc s influences the
levers which owing to its connection with the mandril q by means of the adjust-

page_text: able socket s¹, communicates the movement to the mandril. Besides the swage p
a pair of tongues t having legs * and * is fixed to the machine frame and also
serves for bending the links. The pair of tongues is arranged in such a manner
as to bend the extremities of the open chain links h around the lower edges of the
mandril q, Figure 12.
The actuation takes place in the following manner:
The wheel, partly being toothed and mounted upon the main shaft a³ and
the toothed wheel r¹, Figures 3 & 4, rotate the crank shaft r at certain intervals
whereby the toothed part of the wheel 2 causes the rotation of the wheel r¹ and
of the crank u¹. The connecting rod 3 consisting of two parts linked to the
crank u and to the rod 2 is regulable in length by means of a screw u having
two contrary threads. The crank lever connects the rod with the leg t*
whilst is linked to rails 3, thereby connection with the leg t** being formed.
Both rails 3 and the crank lever 2 are linked to the arm, Figures 1 & 4, fixed
to the machine frame. At each revolution of the wheel the pair of tongues
once are opened and once are closed. In order to stop the wheel 1 exactly after
one revolution and to secure the exact re-engagement of the wheel r², I have pro-
vided the following arrangement:
The main shaft a³, Figures 2 & 3, carries a cam w, a crank lever is fixed
rotatably to the machine frame. By means of a spring the horizontal arm of
the lever constantly is pressed against the circumference of the cam w. The
vertical arm of the lever is provided with a nose directed to the centre of
the wheel the nose w¹ is arranged in such manner as to take into a recess y¹
cut into the circumference of the disc y (Figure 4). The nose 1 after one
revolution of the wheel 71 comes into engagement with the recess y¹ and owing
to the cam w only is removed from the recess y¹ just before the moment where
the wheel r commences a new revolution.
The working of the machine is the following:
The main shaft a³ is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow Z, Figure 1.
During the first quarter of turn of this main shaft, the crank band the connecting
rod c oscillate the levers e e¹ into the position indicated by dotted lines, Figure 1.
During the commencement of this movement the cams 2 of the levers fl are
pressed against the wire or the billet h which thereby is clamped and during the
further movement of the oscillation is advanced the predetermined distance.
During the second quarter of revolution of the crank the .cams fa are removed
from the wire owing to the weight i, whereafter the levers e e¹ are returned into
original position, whilst owing to the levers f f¹ the slide carriage g¹ is pushed
backwards against the stop g. When the wire or the billet h is advanced a new
piece of wire enters the forge and the piece formerly heated passes through the
guide 3 and is bent around the mandril g. Fig. 9. After the first quarter of
revolution of the main shaft 3 the bolt of the crank n acts upon the slide o and
causes the sinking of the swage 7 which in first line cuts the advanced piece of
wire h and then places the cut piece around the curved upper part of the mandril 7,
Figure 10. When the main shaft commences its third quarter of revolution,
the toothed segment takes into the wheel 3, thereby the bending of the ex-
tremities of the open links h (Figure 12) around the mandril g is effected by the
intermediate crank u², 2 and 3, crank levers 1 and 2 and rails 3, these inter-
mediate parts causing the closure of the pair of tongues. During the third quarter
of revolution of the main shaft 3 the bolt of the crank n passes the segment-
formed part in the groove of the slide o and there prevents the swage p to raise.
During the last quarter of rotation the upper swage is raised, the pair of
tongues t is opened and the mandril 7 horizontally is pushed backwards, so that
the readily bent chain link falls down into normal position.
This procedure automatically is repeated until the machine is stopped or the
quantity of wire is exhausted. The chain link bent in the manner heretofore
described can be hooked into the last link of the chain already finished and
brought into the form represented in Figure 14 either by hand or mechanically.

page_text: The superposed extremities then are welded (as illustrated in Figure 14 the weld-
ing is effected at the curved part).
Figure 15 illustrates a modified from of construction of the swage p, of the
mandril and of the pair of tongues t.
The latter being indicated by one of its
legs only.
In this construction the chain link is
at the longitudinal sides.
bent in a manner as to allow the welding
In order to secure the wire or the billet during the return of the slide carriage gl
and during the cutting by the blade p', a pair of tongues A is arranged behind
the slide carriage g' which in the moment where the slide carriage commences its
backwards movement clamps the wire and secures it against displacement. The
working of the pair of tongues illustrated in Figures 16 & 17 clearly can be seen
from Figure 18. A crank B moving the upper part of the shaft g¹ is mounted
upon the shaft d. The lower extremity of this crank is provided with a pro-
jection C, which when the crank advances (during the return of the slide carriage)
pushes the lever E aside and during the return presses against the inclined sur-
face D adjustably fixed to the lever E, whereby as clearly can be seen from
Figures 16 & 17, the lever E is raised and the pair of tongues A is opened. The
closure is effected by means of the weight F. The bolt of the slide carriage g¹
must be guided in straight line in order to prevent a bending of the wire.
Figures 19 & 20 illustrate a modified construction of the swages.
constructions the swage is provided with a slot G allowing a secure bending of
the extremities of the links.
Dated this 16th day of November 1899.
In these
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, HEINRICH SPÜHL, of St. Gallen, in the Confederation of Switzerland, 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 follow-
ing statement:
--
The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for automatically
bending chain-links in which rolled wire or an iron billet is advanced at certain
intervals, cut and bent around a mandril in such manner, as to form an open
chain link susceptible to be hooked in the last link of the chain already finished.
The welding of the extremities of the readily bent open chain link might then be
effected either by hand or mechanically.
The automatic work characterizing this machine essentially is the following;
During the first quarter of turn of the main shaft, the wire is advanced. Dur-
ing the second quarter, the wire is cut and bent around the upper surface of a
mandril. During the third quarter of turn of the main shaft a pair of tongs
effects the bending of the lower wire extremities, whilst during the fourth quarter
of turn the bending mechanism returns into original position and the remaining
bent chain link is removed from the mandril.
This is the essential novelty of my invention but there are furthermore some
special constructions relating to the advance of the wire, to the heating of the
same during the feeding and means for securing the movement of the bending
tongs. These particular mechanisms will be fully described in the detailed

page_text: description hereinafter, I now only point out the essential features which differ
from the known constructions.
The heater, which is necessary for the strong wire gauges in order to allow the
wire of easily being bent, is arranged in a peculiar manner between the bending
mechanism and the transporting mechanism and consists of a forge, the coal of
which surround the wire. The forge is provided with a movable bottom by means
of which air is admitted and ashes can be removed without altering the position
of the coal directly surrounding the wire.
In my machine the adjustable mechanism effecting the advance of the wire
is also new, the return of the tongs which bend the wire being caused by spring.
or weight pressure and determined by an adjustable stop.
Furthermore the driving mechanism for the bending tongs is a novel one.
This mechanism consists of a wheel provided with teeth upon the half of its cir-
cumference and of a special arrangement securing the re-engagement.
These are the essential novel points in my improved mechine.
My invention will be the better understood with reference to the drawing filed
with the Provisional Specifications, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an elevation of my machine, some parts being illustrated
in section,
Figure 2 is a lateral view of the same partly in section,
Figures 3 & 4 illustrate detail views of the mechanism actuating the pair of
tongs,
Figure 5 is a section through line, Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows a detail view of the advance mechanism the illustration being
a righthand supplement of Figure 2,
Figure 7 illustrates a section through line y-y of Figure 1.
Figure 8 is a section through line -z of Figure 1,
Figures 9-13 are detail views of the bending mechanism in different positions.
Figure 14 illustrates the position of a chain-link before being welded, the
welding being effected at the round part of the link,
Figure 15 illustrates a modified form of the bending mechanism by means of
which the chain links are welded lengthwise.
Figures 16 & 17 represent detail views of a pair of tongs serving to clamp
the wire.
Figure 18 illustrates the manner of connecting this mechanism to the machine.
Figures 19 & 20 illustrate a modified form of the swages.
Upon the main shaft a³ driven by the shafts al and a², Figures 1, 2 & 3, is fixed
a crank b provided with a bolt adapted to slide in a slot c¹ of a rod c linked to
a lever e. This lever e is mounted upon a transverse shaft d. Upon the shaft dis
further secured a second lever e¹, Figures 1 & 6. Arms ff are linked to the free
extremity of this lever e¹, and engage cam levers f¹ f' linked to a slide carriage g¹
moving within the guide g. The cams of the cam levers f¹ are hollowed some-
what and destined to clamp the wire h and to advance it at short intervals. g³,
Figures 1, 6 & 7, is a stop adjustably mounted upon the guide g for determining
the return of the slide gl caused by the action of the weight i. Owing to the ad-
justability of the stop the length of the advanced piece of wire or of the billet h
may be predetermined and regulated.
In the construction illustrated in the drawing destined for use of wire of certain
thickness a forge 1, Figures 1 & 5. fed with coal by the hopper k, is employed for
heating the wire, which passes through said forge. The bottom of the forge
forms a hollow rotatable drum m¹ adapted to be rotated by means of a crank m
Fig. 5. The hollow space of the drum m¹ is connected with an air blast apparatus
(not shown) in such manner, that the slags or other detrimental products accumu-
lated in the groove of the circumference of the drum can be removed from the
forge by a quarter-revolution of the crank m without the charge of the forge
being shaken or taken out.

page_text: By repeating the oscillations of the drum m¹ the whole contents of the forge
might be removed. The groove in the circumference of the drum is provided
with perforations allowing the passage of the air coming from the said blast
apparatus.
As already mentioned, this forge only is necessary when thick wires or billets
are to be bent.
I will now explain the bending mechanism. The righthand side of the main
shaft a³, Figures 1 & 2, carries a crank n, Figure 2, having a bolt which is pro-
vided with an antifriction roller. This bolt circulates in a peculiarly shaped
groove of the vertical movable slide o, thereby imparting an up- and downwards
movement to the latter. The lower part of the slide o by suitable means is pro-
vided with a swage 7 having a cutting blade p¹, Figures 1, 8 & 9. The swage p
has a longitudinal slot 24 allowing a certain adjustability of the swage itself.
The groove of the slide o at one part is formed concentrically to the axis of
rotation of the crank n, so that when the bolt passes this art, the slide o is pre-
1
vented from moving upwards. The cutting blade p¹ glides closely over the
surface of the angular guide 73 provided for guiding the wire. The conical
opening of this guide forms a cutting edge. The swage p is destined to bend the
piece of wire which is cut by the blade p¹, around a mandril 9 of a triangular
section, Figures 1, 2, 9-12. A disc 2 and a spring 3 influencing the lever s
are provided to effect the horizontal movement of the mandril g. This disc s
is mounted upon a wheel r¹ carried by a crank shaft r, Figures 1, 2, 3 & 4. The
disc influences the lever s which owing to its connection with the mandril
by means of the adjustable socket s', communicates the movement to the mandril.
Besides the swage pa pair of tongst having legs t* and ** is fixed to the machine
frame and also serves for bending the links. The pair of tongs is arranged in
such a manner as to bend the extremities of the open chain links h¹ around the
lower edges of the mandril g, Figure 12.
The action of the mechanism described is as follows:-
The wheel 2, partly being toothed and mounted upon the main shaft a³ and
the toothed wheel r, Figures 3 & 4, rotate the crank shaft r at certain intervals,
whereby the toothed part of the wheel 2 causes the rotation of the wheel r¹ and of
the crank u. The connecting rod 3 consisting of two parts linked to the crank
and to the rod is variable in length by means of a screw having a right and
left hand thread. The toggle lever ¹ connects the rod u² with the leg whilst
is linked to rails 3. which forms a connection with the leg t. Both rails v³ and
the toggle lever are linked to the arm 4, Figures 1 & 4, fixed to the machine
frame. At each revolution of the wheel 1 the pair of tongs is once opened and
once closed.
In order to stop the wheel exactly after one revolution and to
secure the exact reengagement of the wheel r², I have provided the following
arrangement:
The
The main shaft: a³, Figures 2 & 3. carries a cam w, and a crank lever x is fixed
rotatably to the machine-frame. By means of a spring the horizontal arm.
of the lever is constantly pressed against the circumference of the cam 10.
vertical arm of the lever is provided with a nose w pointing to the centre of
the wheel ; the nose w¹ is arranged in such manner as to take into a recess y¹
cut into the circumference of the disc y. Figure 4. The nose w after one revolution
of the wheel comes into engagement with the recess y¹ and owing to the cam w
is only removed from the recess y just before the moment where the wheel r1
commences a new revolution.
The working of the machine is the following:
The main shaft a³ is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow Z, Figure 1.
During the first quarter of a turn of this main shaft, the crank b and the connect-
ing rod c oscillate the levers e e¹ into the position indicated by dotted lines,
Figure 1. During the commencement of this movement the cams of the
levers are pressed against the wire or the billet h, which is thereby clamped
and during the further movement of the oscillation advanced the predetermined

page_text: distance. During the second quarter of revolution of the crank the cams f2 are
removed from the wire owing to the weight, whereafter the levers e el are re-
turned to their original position, whilst owing to the levers f f the slide
carriage is pushed backwards against the stop g. When the wire
or the billet has advanced', a new piece of wire enters the forge
and the piece formerly heated passes through the guide 3 and is bent around
the mandril q, Figure 9. After the first quarter of revolution of the main
shaft a³, the bolt of the crank acts upon the slide o and causes the sinking of
the swage p which first cuts the advanced piece of wire h and then places the cut
piece around the curved upper part of the mandril q, Figure 10. When the main
shaft commences its third quarter of revolution, the toothed segment 2 takes into
the wheel, and the bending of the extremities of the open links h (Figure 12)
around the mandril 7 is effected by the intermediate crank u', u² and u³, toggle
levers and 2, and rails 3, these intermediate parts causing the closure of the
pair of tongs. During the third quarter of revolution of the main shaft a the
bolt of the crank n passes the segment-formed part in the groove of the slide
and there prevents the swage p from rising. During the last quarter of rotation
the upper swage is raised, the pair of tongs t is opened and the mandril
horizontally pushed backwards, so that the readily bent chain link falls down
into a receptacle, whereafter the mandril q returns into its normal position.
is
This procedure is automatically repeated until the machine is stopped or the
quantity of wire is exhausted. The chain link bent in the manner heretofore
described can be hooked into the last link of the chain already finished and brought
into the form. represented in Figure 14 either by hand or mechanically. The
superposed extremities then are welded (as illustrated in Figure 14 the welding
is effected at the curved part).
Figure 15 illustrates a modified form of construction of the swage p, of the
mandril 9 and of the pair of tongs t. The latter being indicated by one of its
legs only.
In this construction the chain link is bent in a manner as to allow the welding
at the longitudinal sides.
In order to secure the wire or the billet during the return of the slide carriage g¹
and during the cutting by the blade p³, a pair of tongs A is arranged behind the
slide carriage gl which the moment when the slide carriage commences its back-
wards movement, clamps the wire and secures it against displacement. The work-
ing of the pair of tongs illustrated in Figures 16 & 17 can be clearly seen from
Figure 18.
In this figure a modified construction of the pair of tongs and of the slide-
carriage in connection with the mechanism for actuating the pair of tongs is
shown, the carriage g¹ being actuated by the rod c. A double-lever B mounted
upon the shaft d is provided on its one arm with a projection C. A lever E cap-
able of rotating around a vertical and a horizontal axis is influenced on one hand
horizontally by a spring C which tends to bring the lever always back into its
normal position, and on the other hand vertically by a weight F. This lever is
so shaped on its one extremity, that the projection C of the double-lever B pushes
the lever E aside, that is to say, turns it away round its vertical axis when the
lever B influenced by the carriage g during the movement of the latter is turned
to the right. When the carriage advances the projection C of the lever B now
under the influence of the weight F following the carriage to the left, glides upon
and presses against the curved surface of the projecting part D of the lever E
thus raising the same, that is rotating the same around its horizontal axis. A
rod E attached to this lever causes the lever E² carrying the weight F also to
rise, influencing thus the pair of tongs connected by means of a pivot E³ to the
lever E, so as to open. As soon as the projection C has reached the end point
of the curved projecting part D, the same enters the free space D₁ of the lever E
thus releasing the latter so that the weight F causes its return into the normal
position and the pair of tongs A to close.

page_text: The bolt of the slide carriage gl must be guided in straight line in order to
prevent a bending of the wire.
Figures 19 & 20 illustrate a modified construction of the swages. In these
constructions the swage is provided with a slot G allowing a secure bending
of the extremities of the links.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
:-
1. In a machine for automatically bending chain-links, a mechanism for ad-
vancing the wire, a swage provided with a cutting blade, cutting the wire and
bending it around a mandril, a pair of tongs bending the lower extremities of the
wire, all mechanisms being actuated from a main driving shaft and whereby
during the first quarter of revolution the wire is advanced, during the second
quarter cut and laid over a mandril, during the third quarter, the pair of tongs
bends the lower extremities of the links and during the fourth quarter the return
of all mechanisms into original position is effected, substantially and for the
purpose as described.
2. In a machine for automatically bending chain-links, the combination of a
main shaft a³ imparting motion to all parts, with a slide carriage taking up the
wire employed, a lever e¹ having opposite arms f, cams f fixed to the arms f
by means of levers f¹, said cams f clamping the wire, a weight i acting upon the
levere and causing its return, a stop determining the return of the slide
carriage, a connecting rod c causing the slide carriage g' to slide within the
guide g, a forge effecting the heating of the wire-extremity, a mandril of
triangular or egg-form arranged in front of the forge, a conical opening serving
to guide the wire, a swage p raised and lowered by rotation of the main shaft a³,
a crank n rigidly connected to the main shaft and circulating within a groove of
a slide carriage o to which the swage 2 is fixed, said circulations causing the up-
and downwards movement of the swage, a cutting blade pl fixed to the swage p
and cutting the advanced piece of wire, said swage bending the cut piece of wire
around the upper part of the mandril, a pair of tongs t¹ having legs ***, means
for governing the legs of this pair of tongs, a rod ³ connected to a rod 2 and
actuated from the main driving shaft by suitable gearings, whereby during the
first quarter of turn of the main shaft the wire clamped by the cams f, is advanced
a predetermined distance, during the second quarter of turn it is cut by the
blade and bent around the upper part of the mandril g by means of the swage p,
during the third quarter the pair of tongs is closed thereby bending the lower
extremities of the wire around the lower surface of the mandril and during the
fourth quarter of a turn, the return of all mechanisms into their original position
is effected and the bent chain link is removed, substantially and for the purpose
as described.
1000
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.