Improvements in Chain and Chain Wheel Driving Gear.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Mar., 1900-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chain and Chain Wheel Driving Gear.
FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHROEDER, Engineer, and PATRICK WILLIAM MORAN,
Gentleman, both of 30, Maiden Lane, Strand, London, W.C., do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved construction of chain and chain wheel
driving gear, whereby on the one hand the frictional wear of the chain in working
on the chain wheel is in great measure prevented and on the other hand the
construction of the chain is such that defective links can be readily removed
and replaced by new ones. For these purposes, instead of making the trans-
verse pins that connect the side links of the chain of cylindrical form, we
make them with the part between the links of spherical form, and we make the
teeth of the chain wheel with corresponding concave surfaces where the spherical
pins work over them. By this means the chain is maintained in a perfectly
central position when passing over the wheel and consequently all lateral shifting
and frictional contact between the links and the side surfaces of the teeth is
prevented.
We construct the chain with the said spherical pins
as follows:-
According to one arrangement the spherical pin has a short cylindrical ex-
tension at each end, which extensions fit into corresponding holes in the side
links.
Through the central hollow of the sphere and its extensions is passed a
cylindrical pin, the ends of which project beyond the links that are fitted on the
spherical pin and fit into other connecting links that connect together the links
having the spherical pins. These connecting links have longitudinal slots that
are wider at the middle than at the ends so that the ends of the said cylindrical
pins can pass through the wider part of the slots and are then slid into the
narrow parts, in which they are held by side notches.
Instead of forming the spherical pins with cylindrical extensions as described,
we sometimes fit into the central holes thereof cylindrical tubular pieces the
ends of which constitute the cylindrical extensions.
With this arrangement we secure the one end of such tubes in one of the side
links by forming a notch in the eye of the latter, into which the end of the
tube is expanded. By this means, if one of the spherical pins fractures or
becomes worn, it can be readily removed from its tube on separating the links.
from each other and be replaced by a new one.
7/6/09
FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHROEDER,
PATRICK WILLIAM MORAN.

page_text: .
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 an improved construction of chain and chain wheel'
driving gear whereby on the one hand the frictional wear of the chain in working
on the chain-wheel is in great measure prevented, and on the other hand, the
construction of the chain is such that defective links can be readily removed
and replaced by new ones. For these purposes, instead of making the trans-
verse pins that connect the side links of the chain of cylindrical form, we
make them with the part between the links of spherical form and we make the
teeth of the chain wheel with corresponding concave surfaces where the spherical
pins work over them. By this means the chain is maintained in a perfectly
central position when passing over the wheel and consequently all lateral shifting
and frictional contact between the links and the side surfaces of the teeth is
prevented.
We will describe the construction of the chain with the said spherical pins with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 shews a plan of one of the spherical pins detached. Fig. 2 shews a
part sectional plan of the same, connected with a second pin by two side cheeks
to form a link; Fig. 3 shews a plan of the link combined with connecting plates
by means of connecting pins. Figs. 4 and 5 shew plan and end view of one
of the connecting pins. Fig. 6 shews a side view of the links; Fig. 7 shews the
links in the position necessary for enabling them to be separated. Fig. 8 shews
part of a chain passing over the chain wheel; Fig. 9 shews a section at X X.
Fig. 10 shews a sectional plan of a modified form of the link with spherical
pins; Figs. 11, 12 and 13 shew views of the several parts detached.
In the construction shewn at Figs. 1 to 6, the pins are formed with a spherical
middle part and cylindrical ends band they have a cylindrical hole c formed
through them. On to the cylindrical ends are fitted loose, the side cheek's d
so that the pins can revolve in them, and through the holes c are passed cylindrical
pins with notched ends e with which engage the slotted connecting links f that
serve to connect the links with spherical pins together. These connecting links f
and the notched pins e are constructed in a known manner not forming part
of this invention, that is to say. the middle of the slot of f is made sufficiently
wide for the pin to pass through while the narrower ends of the link are adapted
to fit the nofches of the ends of pins e, so that when these have been slid into
the end position they are securely held by the connecting links f.
( cannot
It will be seen that the parts are so proportioned that when the links are in
the extended position as at Fig. 6 the pins e with their spherical pins
move inwards a sufficient distance to enable them to assume the middle position
in the enlarged slot, and that consequently no accidental detachment of the
pins e and connecting links f can take place, in working.
It is only when the two adjacent links a de are turned into a position at right
angles to the connecting links f, as shewn at Fig. 7, that first one of the
links a de can be moved into the middle position shewn in dotted lines, so that
the pine can be drawn out and consequently the link ad detached from f,
after which the second link can be removed in the same manner.
Thus while the chain constructed as above described has its links effectually
secured together while in the working position, the part can be readily separated
when the links are brought into the position at Fig. 7 and a defective link can
then be replaced by a new one.
Figs. 8 and 9 shew the improved chain with spherical pins operating in com-
bination with a chain wheel whose teeth are formed with concave acting surfaces
as above described. The teeth of the wheel have their surfaces formed
concave as shewn, so that the spherical pins a are effectually held in a middle
position thereon and thus any lateral shifting of the chain and frictional contact
between the cheeks and the sides of the teeth is prevented.
In the modified construction shewn at Figs. 10 to 13 the spherical pins

page_text: are formed without the cylindrical ends b, and in lieu thereof there are pro-
vided tubular pins i on to which the spherical pins a are loosely slid and which
are of such a length as to project into the corresponding holes in the side
cheeks d..
The links are secured together by the connecting links f and notched pins e
in the same way as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.
By preference the two tubular pins are secured to the one side cheek by
forming notches j in the holes of the latter and then riveting the ends of the
pins into the notches, as shewn at Figs. 12 and 13.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
:-
1. A chain for chain wheel driving gear the links of which have rotatable pins
with spherical surfaces « adapted to fit against concave surfaces formed on the
teeth of the chain wheels, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. A link for a chain for chain wheel gear consisting of the combination of
tubular pins with a spherical surface on their middle part a, and cylindrical
ends engaging with holes in side cheeks d, the said parts of the link being
held together in a detachable manner by slotted connecting links f and notched
pins e passing through the tubular pins a b, substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 1 to 6.
3. A link for a chain wheel consisting of the combination of tubular pins with
spherical surface a, cylindrical tubular pins fitting loose through the pins
and having their one end secured in the one side cheek d while the other end
is fitted loose into the other side cheek d the said parts being held together in
a detachable manner by notched pins e passing through the pins i and slotted
connecting links f, substantially as described.
4. In chain wheel driving gear, the combination of a chain having links with
pins having spherical surfaces, and a chain wheel whose teeth are formed with a
concave surface against which the said spherical surfaces of the pins bear sub-
stantially as described.
Dated this 1 1000