Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Drive Chain.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883), as required,
by the decision of the Chief Examiner of the 1st day of June 1897.
Date of Application, 26th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Drive Chain.
I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON, of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Tool Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates first, to a new construction of drive chain, and secondly,
to the manufacture of the same, and consists in making both the side plates or
cheeks and the block integral and from a single blank of sheet metal.
Thus in carrying out my invention, I cut out from sheet steel, a blank having
the form of three side-by-side but slightly separated plates, jointed together by
webs or connections at near one end. The outer plates, which constitute the side
plates of a drive chain link, are suitably shaped and pierced at each end with
rivet holes, whilst the middle plate, which is connected at each edge of one of its
ends to the outer plates by webs or ears, is preferably rectangular in figure.
The middle plate of this cut out blank is bent up circularly until its ends
abut against one another, thus forming a hollow end block or pivot bush of the
chain. The parts which are to form the side plates are then turned up at right
angles until their inner faces respectively abut against the opposite ends of the
hollow block or bush.
A length of chain is made up from a number of these sheet-steel links, the ends
of the side plates being preferably spread, cranked outwardly or provided with
inside seatings, wherein the block end of the next adjacent link takes a seating
and is there secured by a pin passing through the piercings in the side plate
ends and through the middle of the block and being rivetted on the outsides of
the cheeks.
The inside of the hollow block end may be interiorly fitted with a loose reinforcing
bush or sleeve, made either in one piece or in sections, or from a closely coiled
spiral of hard wire, and wherethrough the pivot or joining-up pin passes.
Instead of the opposite ends of block part of the blank abutting, and with the
block completely covering up the pivot or rivet and its bush, the same may be
made to only partially embrace or encompass the same, in which case a much
lighter chain can be made.
If necessary the block end of the link inay be reinforced by a slipped-on
reinforcing ring, preferably made of hardened steel, and either in one piece or in a
number of ring sections.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1896.
JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and in the Manufacture of Drive Chain.
I, JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON of Great Hampton Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Tool Maker, 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 :-
This invention relates first, to a new construction of drive chain, and secondly
to the manufacture of the same, and consists in making both the side plates or
cheeks and the block integral, and from a single blank of sheet metal.
Thus, in carrying out my invention, I cut out from thin sheet steel or other
metal, a blank of a cruciform figure or of the form of three side-by-side but
slightly separated wings or plates, jointed together by webs or connections at near
one end.
The outer plates which constitute the side plates of. a drive chain link, are
suitably shaped and pierced with rivet holes at each end, whilst the middle and
crossing plate, which is connected at each edge of one of its ends to the outer
plates by webs or ears, is preferably of an elongated rectangular figure.
The middle plate of this cut out blank is bent up circularly into a hollow bush
lock or drum end, and with meeting ends of metal coming at the inner side. The
winged parts which are to form the side plates of the link, are then bent up
staple-wise thus forming a U-shaped or forked link with a hollow-block at its
closed end.
A length of chain is made up of a number of these sheet-steel or other metal
links, and between the ends of the branches or side plates the hollow block end of
the next adjacent link takes, and is there joined or linked by a cross pin or rivet
passing through the respective piercings in the ends of side plates and through
the middle of the hollow block and being their rivetted on the outside of the
cheeks.
The contact and wearing parts of the links such as the cross pins or rivets,
bushes and hollows of the blocks of chain generally, may be provided or fitted
with closely or other coiled spirals of hard and wearing metal, such as steel, gun
metal and the like.
Instead of employing spiral rollers or bushes as described for reducing frictional
contact between the opposed wearing surfaces, we may use a series of loose and
strung-on rings, having separated wearing and bearing contacts.
The wearing and bearing contacts of the said spirals are separated from each
other, owing to being made from round, oval, diamond, triangular or like sectioned
wire, thus forming an anti-friction spiral roller.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a length of drive chain, with
the links made according to my invention, and with the end bushes of the links
being fitted interiorly with spiral rollers or runners having separated contacts, also
made according to my improvements.
Figure 2 represents the said length partly in plan and partly in horizontal
section.
Figure 3 shows a plan of one of the links separately.
Figure 4 is a vertical section upon the dotted line x, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section upon the dotted line a¹, Figure 4.
Figure 6 represents a modified form of link in which the boxed end or bush is
open on its inner side.

page_text: Figure 7 represents a section of one of the coiled or spiral rollers or runners
made from round sectioned wire, separately, and Figure 8 shows an elevation of
the same.
Figure 9 represents a plan of one of the blanks from which the links of the
chain shown in Figure 1 are made.
Figure 10 is an edge view of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 10.
a is a link having separated plate sides a', a, each pierced at outwardly cranked
ends a³, with the other ends a, which are likewise pierced, are formed into a hollow
block, bush or box a', wherethrough the joining-up shouldered cross pin or rivet b,
passes, and is fitted with, or surrounded circumferentially by, a spiral bush,
sleeve or roller c, e separated from each other, hence a perfect anti-friction
roller.
When the chain is pulled taut, and the bearing surfaces of link box ends, pins
and spiral rollers are drawn into contact and move upon one another with a
minimum degree of friction by reason of the interlocation of the separated contacts
of the spiral rollers.
It is obvious that instead of forming the spiral rollers from round wire, I may
fashion the same out of elliptical or similar sectioned wire with the same effect.
Figure 11 represents a further form of link constructed according to my
invention, in which the spiral roller comes upon or surrounds the outside of either
a solid or hollow end or bush, and with which the teeth of a sprocket wheel come
in contact, thereby diminishing friction.
Figure 12 is a cross section of the same upon the dotted, line 2, Figure 11.
Figure 13 represents one of the drum ends separately, showing how the meeting
edges may be joined by a dovetail.
Figure 14 represents the separated-contact spiral roller or bush applied to,
ordinary block chain, the said view being partly in horizontal section and partly in
plan, whilst
Figure 15 shows its application to another form of chain.
Figure 16 represents a separated-contact spiral roller formed from triangular
sectioned wire.
Figure 17 shows a like spiral made from diamond sectioned wire and Figure 18
represents a spiral made from half-round sectioned wire.
Figure 19 represents a separated contact roller formed from a series of threaded-
on round-sectioned rings and Figure 20 shows an elevation and a section of one of
the rings.
Figure 21 shows a like section and elevation of another ring, but of a diamond
cross section, whilst Figure 22 shows a triangular Figure 23 an elliptical, and
Figure 24 a half-round sectioned ring."
In Figures 16, 17, and 18, c are the spiral rollers, c' the separated outside
contacts and c² the inside contacts. The said rollers may be made from hardened
steel, gun metal, aluminium-bronze or other bearing metal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that it has been previously proposed to use helical coils or loose
rings in bearings of wheel hubs, but I declare that what I claim is:
First. In the links of drive chain, making the side-plates and the box or drum
end or hollow block of the same integral and from a single blank of sheet metal,
substantially as set forth in Figures 1 to 6.
Secondly. Making the links of drive chain as referred to in the preceding
claim from a blank of sheet metal such as shown in Figures 9 and 10.
Thirdly. In drive chain, the employment in connection therewith, of spiral
rollers, bushes, sleeves or runners having separated outside, or inside and outside,
bearing and wearing contacts.
Fourthly. In drive chain, the employment in connection therewith, of slipped-on

page_text: rings having outside, or both inside and outside, separated bearing and wearing
contacts.
Dated this 18th day of January 1897
JOSEPH GEORGE ROLLASON,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent.