DRIVE CHAIN LINKS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THEODORE FOOTE HALL, of Marietta, County of Washington, State of Ohio,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for DRIVE CHAIN
LINKS, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My Invention relates to an improvement in drive chain links; and it consists in
a link provided with cylindrical side bars, having projections extending into the
inlet of the hook, a cylindrical bar at one end of the link of uniform size with the
side bars, and provided at the opposite end with an open hook, the throat or
opening of which is curved, and the socket of which is straight on the side next to
the end bar, but curved on the side towards the hook end, as will be more fully
described hereinafter.
Figure is a perspective view showing two links coupled together. Figure 2 is
a vertical longitudinal section of two links coupled together, the positions of one of
the links assumed in coupling and uncoupling being shown in dotted lines.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a single link.
A, B, represent two links of a drive chain, each of which has the side bars g, and
end bars b, made round or circular and of the same or about the same size..
The hook or coupling end of each link is thickened and increased in size, as shown,
for the purpose of forming a hook D, and giving the link additional strength at
this end. The outer ends of this hook D are made flat, as shown in Figure 3, and
the length of the.hook is less than the width of the link. Formed at each corner
of the link, is the projection i, which extends outward far enough to form a part
of the end and bottom socket of the hook. These projections serve as stops to
prevent the links from doubling back upon each other too far, and serve to assist
in coupling by acting as guides.
The outer side C of the socket, where the end bar has its bearing, is made
straight, transversely of the link from one side to the other, and concave vertically
so as to correspond to the shape of the bar b, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, but the
upper rear sides e, c', of the socket or hook, are curved so as to form a curved
opening or slot d. At each end of this curved slot or opening d is formed a
suitable projection or rounded extension h, which causes the link to be given a
curved or twisted motion as it is being inserted into the hook D.
Heretofore, straight instead of curved slots have been used in making detachable
links. In using straight slots the side bars of the links have generally to be cut or
reduced, and this reduces the strength of the link very materially, while by using

page_text: the curved slots the points of the hooks can be passed without changing or
reducing the side bars in any manner, thus securing the full size of the side bar.
There is no hook in any one point of the curved slot, as the side bar which passes
through the curved slot is of the same size as the pivot bar in the hook. The
curved slot also serves to prevent any probability of the links coming accidentally
apart, no matter in what position they may be placed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
A drive chain link consisting of the side bars g, g, straight bar b, at one end, an
open hook, D, at the opposite end, the socket or bearing in which the pivot bar
works being straight, and its throat or slot being curved, that is to say on the side
next to the pivot of the hook, and concave on the opposite side next to the end
bar, substantially as described.