IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS, COLLARS OR NECKLACES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11 Wellington Street,
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHAINS, COLLARS OR NECKLACES,
1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1882.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of N° 11 Wellington Street Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE of
CHAINS, COLLARS OR NECKLACES, CHAPELETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES" A Com-
munication to me from abroad by Edouard Armelin, of Angoulème, France,
This invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture properly so
called, of the elements or component parts of chains also in their linking and
further and particularly in the opening of the terminal ring of the said component
parts whether soldered with hard soldering or brazing or made without joint or
soldering as will be hereinafter seen.
Chains obtained by the aid of these improvements are very strong and relatively
very cheap; their components parts made of metal wire of any section may receive
any kind of decoration.
The characteristic of this invention being particularly in the opening of the
terminal ring of the linked parts or elements, I will describe separately the brazed
or hard soldered chain and that which is uninterrupted without joint or soldering,
the manufacture and linking of which are obtained by similar means,
I will now proceed to describe the different phases of the manufacture of the
above named chains.
Chain with welding or soldering. The parts of this chain are of metal wire of
any section, cut in lengths and then bent double.
Thus shaped, these parts are linked or threaded in the following manner to the
links or divisions which precede them in the chain and the linking or threading of
which has been obtained in the same way.

page_text: To link or thread, the branches or arms are slightly opened apart, one of them
is entered into the terminal ring of the last made link, then, before putting in place
the ornamentation or decorative article, the ends of the bent wire are hard soldered
or brazed together.
This soldering at a high temperature is easily done because of the absence of the
ornament and of the distance of the last made link or division..
This done, on the metal core thus obtained is fitted a pearl, bead, or other ornament
pierced with a hole of corresponding diameter; this ornament may be preceded
and followed, or not, with a metal or other cap or cup.
The metal part thus fitted then forms, a link or mesh, of which it is only 1
necessary to open the terminal ring in order that it may be completely finished.
The opening of this ring may be effected by the aid of the small apparatus
immediately hereinafter described or by any suitable mechanical or manual means.
The apparatus for opening the terminal ring consists of two nippers or pincers
with concave inner faces intended to hold the link or mesh, without touching the 1
ornament or decoration, during the opening of the terminal ring; this opening is
obtained by the aid of a punch moveable in a perpendicular or other direction and
actuated by any suitable means. A moveable piece facilitates the placing of
links or meshes of various sizes.
Chain without joint or soldering. As for the preceding the parts are of metal 2
wire and in order to justify the term "without joint or soldering" this wire is
taken from the punching or cutting machine as an endless loop or open link, it is
then bent nearly double and finally brought to the shape of the completed link or
mesh above described.
These parts of links may also be made of metal wire soldered instead of being 2
stamped out.
a
The division, link or mesh may be obtained by the aid of a mechanical device
operating as follows:-
The wire coming from a bobbin is stretched and drawn along in the ordinary
way, it is then cut into lengths by a suitably arranged knife or cutter and raised
or turned up by plates which form it into a loop around their axis of oscillation.
The wire is finally bent double so that its two loops correspond and are superposed.
The division, mesh or link obtained by one of the above mentioned means is
then linked, threaded, or looped in the same manner as above described but without
soldering the arms; the ornament or decorative piece, preceded and followed, or not,
by a metal or other cap, is threaded on the core formed of four joined wires, or of a
multiplicity of them according to the strength required; the end of the superposed
arms or branches is then opened by the aid of the above described apparatus to
serve as terminal ring to receive the next link or mesh.
In this chain the rings of a same link are respectively perpendicular.
The ring may also be prepared in the shape of a running knot by the aid of a
nipper or pincer, and then finished by the apparatus above described for that
purpose.
A plate or bar may be introduced between each link if desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th May 1883.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE of N° 11 Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
CHAINS COLLARS OR NECKLACES, CHAPELETS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES A Com-
munication to me from abroad by Edouard Armelin of Angoulème, France,
"
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the manufacture, properly so
called, of the elements or component parts of chains also in their linking and
further and particularly in the opening of the terminal ring of the said component
parts whether soldered with hard soldering or brazing, or made without joint or
soldering as will be hereinafter seen.
Chains obtained by the aid of these improvements are very strong and relatively
very cheap, their component parts made of metal wire of any section may receive
any kind of decoration
The characteristic feature of this Invention being particularly in the opening of
the terminal ring of the linked parts or elements, I will describe separately the
brazed or hard soldered chain and that which is uninterrupted without joint or
soldering, the manufacture and linking of the several parts of which are obtained
by similar means.
The accompanying Drawing represents in detail, the different phases of the
manufacture of the above named chaine
Chain with welding or soldering. The parts of this chain are of metal wire of
any section, cut in lengths then bent as shown by the dotted lines Figure 1 of the
accompanying sheet of Drawing, or at once as shown Figure 2.
Thus shaped these parts are linked or threaded in the following manner to the
links or divisions which precede them in the chain and the linking or threading of
which has been obtained in the same way.
To link or thread, the branches or arms A and B are slightly opened apart, one
of them is entered into the terminal ring of the last made link, then, before putting
in place the ornamentation or decorative article, the parts a and b are hard soldered
or brazed together.
This soldering at a high temperature is easily done because of the absence of the
ornament and of the distance of the last made link or division.
This done, on the metal core thus obtained is fitted a pearl bead or other
ornament pierced with a hole of corresponding diameter (see Fig: 3); this ornament
may be preceded and followed, or not, with a metal or other cap or cup shown in
plan and section at Figure 4.
The metal part thus fitted then forms the link or mesh shown in section at
Fig: 5 and of which it is only necessary to open the terminal ring in order that it
may be completely finished and appear as shown Fig: 6.
The opening of this ring may be effected by the aid of the small apparatus
slown Fig: 7, or by any other suitable mechanical or manual means.

page_text: In the apparatus Figure 7 will be seen two nippers or pincers M and M' with
concave inner faces intended to hold the link or mesh, without touching the
ornament or decoration, during the opening of the terminal ring; this opening is
obtained by the aid of a punch P moveable in a perpendicular or other direction
and actuated by any suitable means. The moveable piece N facilitates the placing i
of links or meshes of various sizes.
Chain without joint or soldering-As for the preceding the parts are of metal
wire, and in order to justify the term "without joint or soldering" this, wire is
taken from the punching or cutting machine as an endless loop or open link of the
form shown Figure 8, it is then bent as shown in the perspective view Figure 9, then
finally and successively it is, brought to the shape shown in orthogonal projections
at Figures 10 and 11.
These parts may also be made of metal wire soldered at z Fig: 8.instead of.
being stamped out.
The schematical figures 12 and 13 show in principle the mechanical 1
arrangement by the aid of which the part, division or link may be obtained as
shown Figure 11.
.In this arrangement the wire coming from a bobbin b-undergoes the action of
an ordinary straightener and carrier, it is then cut into lengths by a suitable
arranged knife or cutter, it is then raised or turned up by the plates and v
which form it into a loop at x and y around their axis of oscillation. The
wire is finally bent double around the point m, so that the loops and y
correspond and are superposed, the whole appearing at last as shown Fig: 11.
The division, mesh or link obtained by one of the above mentioned means is
then linked, threaded or looped (see Fig: 14) in the same manner as above
described, but without soldering the arms A and B; the ornament or decorative
piece, preceded and followed, or not, by a metal or other cap, is threaded on the
core formed of 4 joined wires, or of a multiplicity of them according to the
strength required; the end of the superposed arins or branches is then opened by
the aid of the apparatus, Fig: 7 already described, to serve as terminal ring to
receive the next link or mesh.
In this chain the rings of a same link are respectively perpendicular.
In this state the link appears as shown Figure 15, it may also appear as at
Figures 16 and 17 in which the ring is prepared in the shape of a running knot-
by the aid of a nipper or pincer, then finished by the apparatus described in
relation to Figure 7. Between each link there may be introduced a piece cut out as
shewn Figure 18.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention commu-
nicated to me as aforesaid and in what manner the same is or may be
performed.
I Claim as secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent :-
The improvements hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
sheet of Drawing.
It being understood that these improvements which relate to the complete
manufacture of chains generally, have for initial point of departure and as
characteristic the opening of the terminal ring; any desired shape may be given
to the parts which with their decoration or ornamentation forin the link of the
chain which I designate as "Endless Chain" with soldering or brazing," or
"endless chain without joint or soldering" according to the composition of the
metallic core, but the methods of manufacturing and linking which are almost
exactly the same.
I would also have it understood that I may modify these chains both as to
shape and dimensions, use for the working parts any sections of wire of any kind
of metal, and for the decorative or ornamental parts, divisions or links, natural or
artificial materials of any shape and dimensions according to the effect to be

page_text: obtained, and use not only the means above described but any mechanical or
manual ineans tending to the same results.
I also reserve the right of using chains thus made for every application they are
capable of receiving.
In Witness whereof I the said William Edward Gedge have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Twenty ninth day of May in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty three
WE GEDGE (L.S.)