Improvements in Drive Chain and in the Chain Wheels of Cycles, Motor Cars, and other Road Vehicles, also applicable for Mowing and other Machines and Machinery of other kinds, and for analogous purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drive Chain and in the Chain Wheels of Cycles,
Motor Cars, and other Road Vehicles, also applicable for Mowing
and other Machines and Machinery of other kinds, and for
analogous purposes.
I, JOSEPH HANDS, of No. 32, Highgate Road, Sparkbrook, in the County of
nature of this invention to be as
Warwick, Gasfitter, do hereby declare the
follows:-
-
This invention relates to improvements in drive chain and in the chain wheels
in connection therewith and is specially adapted for cycles, motor cars and the
like though the same may be successfully employed for other useful purposes for
imparting motive power. For convenience 1 will describe my invention with
reference to cycles and my present improvements consist in formning a chain, the
links of which are of solid steel sections riveted each to each with steel rivets
passing laterally through the rounded ends of same which are countersunk on the
opposite faces so that each end fits closely overlapping its neighbour. Upon the
under edge of each link or section midway in its length I form a downwardly
projecting tooth or cog suitably bevelled.
One of the methods by which I construct the larger chain wheel is to form the
same with circumferential Hanges or rims upon it and I pierce slotted apertures
in the circumference of said wheel at suitable distances apart said holes corres-
ponding in position in the periphery of the wheel relative to the position of the
teeth or cogs as aforesaid upon the chain links and in order to allow for expansion
and also to admit of the teeth being accurately guided into the apertures when
in action. I taper the sides of said apertures somewhat of a V form so that the
teeth cannot fail to drop into same. The intervening spaces or blocks between
each aperture are slightly recessed in a concave form upon the upper face so as
to form a seating for the rounded under edges of the links back and front of the
teeth and thus keeps the chain in position.
I may prefer to make the large chain wheel without the peripheral flanges as
above described which are mainly for the purpose of guiding the chain and may
or may not be necessary.
The smaller chain wheel on rear axle is perforated with apertures in a similar
manner to that previously described and may or may not have flanges thereon
but in this case to allow of the action of the chain clearing dirt etc. from said
apertures suitable holes are pierced laterally in the face of this wheel opposite the
vertical apertures-as the inner centre of the wheel fitting closely upon the axle
obviously does not admit of the apertures being pierced right through as in the
periphery of the rim of the larger chain wheel.
This construction of chain by reason of the solid form of links provides strength

page_text: and lightness and as it runs upon its narrow edge allows of the chain wheels
being made narrower and consequently lighter.
Dated this 24th day of March 1897.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
Warwick Chambers, 104, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Patent Agents, for the Applicant.
Improvements in Drive Chain and in the Chain Wheels of Cycles,
Motor Cars, and other Road Vehicles, also applicable for Mowing
and other Machines and Machinery of other kinds, and for
analogous purposes.
I, JOSEPH HANDS, of No. 32, Highgate Road, Sparkbrook, in the County of
Warwick, Gasfitter, 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 reference being had to the drawings accompany-
ing this specification and to the figures and letters shewn thereon:-
My invention relates to improvements in drive chain and in the chain wheels in
connection therewith and is specially adapted for cycles motor cars and the like
though the same may be successfully employed for other purposes for imparting
and transmitting motive power.
In the several figures similar letters refer to similar parts.
Figure 1, represents in sectional elevation the chain wheel and chain.
Figure 2, an elevation of the small chain wheel and chain constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 3 and 4 are respectively edge views of the chain wheels.
Figure 5, shews in side elevation three links of my improved chain.
Figure 6, represents a sectional view of same.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of my improved form of rivet for riveting the
links each to each.
Figures 9 and 10 are enlarged views of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 8, shews the chain wheel, a modification of the above. For convenience
I will describe my invention with reference to cycles and my present improvements
firstly consist in forming a chain the links A of which are solid steel sections
riveted each to each with steel rivets B passing laterally through the rounded-ends
of same the said ends being countersunk A' on the opposite faces so that each end
butts up to and fits closely overlapping its neighbour, furthermore the countersunk
ends are hollowed or dished round the rivet holes as at A2 and the rivets B are
formed with a ball 13 in the centre of same so that when the links are riveted to-
gether the hollow sinkings A2 receive the ball B on each side and forms a seating
for same and allow the links to fit close together so that a kind of ball joint is
obtained which tends to reduce friction of the links to a minimum, or I
arrange small balls in said hollow sinkings round the rivets for the same purpose
of reducing friction. Each link A is formed upon its edge midway in its length
with a projecting tooth or cog D suitably bevilled to a V section.
may
The second part of my invention relates to the construction of the chain wheels,
referring to the larger chain wheel. By one of the methods I form the same with
circumferential flanges or rims E upon it and I pierce slotted apertures El in the
periphery of said wheel at suitable distances equally apart said apertures or holes E¹
correspond in position in the periphery of the wheel relative to the position of

page_text: the teeth or cogs I) as aforesaid upon the chain links and in order to allow for
expansion and also to admit of the teeth being accurately guided into the apertures
or holes when in action I may suitably taper to a V. form or round off the inter-
vening portions E forming the sides of the apertures so that the teeth cannot fail
to easily drop into same. The said intervening portions or blocks between each
aperture may be slightly recessed if required in a concave form upon the upper
faces or edges so as to form a seating for the edges of the links back and front of
the teeth and thus keeps the chain in position.
I may sometimes prefer to make the larger chain wheel without the peripheral
flanges E as above described which are mainly for the purpose of guiding the chain
in its traverse over the wheel and may or may not be necessary but preferably
are used.
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}
The smaller chain wheel or sprocket on the rear axle is perforated with apertures
or holes in a similar manner to that previously described and may or may not have
flanges on its periphery but in this case to allow of the action of the chain clearing
dirt etc. from said apertures suitable slot holes or outlets F are pierced laterally in the
face of the wheel under the vertical apertures or holes for the reason that the
inner centre G of the wheel fitting closely upon the axle it otherwise would not
admit of the apertures being pierced right through as previously described.
In the course of my experimental work I find that I can modify and improve
the method of making the chain wheels as above set forth which will greatly simplify..
and cheapen the cost of producing said chain wheels.
For this purpose I form parts of the wheels such as the outer flanges or rims D¹
Figure 8 of suitable metal such as of malleable or other iron and I pass steel bars or
pins. H from side to side of the wheel rims D and at suitable distances apart so
as to form apertures between for the toothed chain, furthermore
may form these
bars or pins H with screw heads as shewn so as to admit of their being screwed
into the flanges 11 of the wheel rim.
The advantage of this arrangement is that the steel bars H can be easily removed
and replaced when required with a small turn screw, so that when the wheels are
once fixed on the machine they do not need taking off for repairing.
Furthermore by this latter method instead of piercing apertures or holes in the
periphery of the wheel as previously described which is a more costly process
by reason of superior metal etc. having to be employed, I am enabled to use metal
such as malleable iron or other iron as stated as the steel bars or pins bear all the
working action and can readily be renewed as shewn.
By the improved construction of chain formed of solid steel links strength and
lightness are obtained and as will be clearly understood one single link in each
case is only used connected to its counterpart thus a narrow chain is provided
which running upon its narrow edge allows of the chain wheels being made
narrower consequently they are lighter less metal being needed in their manu-
facture.
A further important feature by my improvements is that chain wheels constructed
according to this last described method can he produced at much less cost than the
chain wheels as hitherto used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
Firstly. In drive chains for cycles motor cars and other machines and machinery
and the like forming the chain with a tooth upon each link midway of same form-
ing each link of solid steel or other metal and connecting one link to another succes-
sively to complete said chain countersinking the overlapping ends of each link,
countersinking or hollowing the said ends round the rivet holes all substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Secondly. In drive chain forming the rivets with a ball midway on each rivet

page_text: so that when passed laterally through the links the said ball is received in the
hollowed sinkings around each rivet hole in the link ends and in combination
therewith or the employment of rivets and ball bearings said balls being situated
in said hollowed sinkings substantially as described.
Thirdly. Forming the chain wheels for cycles motor cars and for analogous
purpose by piercing apertures or holes at suitable distances apart in the periphery
of said wheels forming flanges or rims upon said wheel periphery (or not as may
be preferred) substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Fourthly. A chain wheel such as described and illustrated with reference to
Figure 8 in combination with a toothed chain as described and illustrated in
Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings.
Fifthly. Forming the smaller chain wheel in manner before described and perfor-
ating apertures or holes or long slots upon the face of said wheel for the purpose
of clearing out dirt and the like by the action of the toothed chain substantially
as described.
Sixthly. In combination the improvements in drive chain and in the chain wheels
of cycles motor cars and other road vehicles also applicable for anowing and other
machines and machinery of other kind and for analogous purposes consisting of
the special construction of drive chain and the special constructions of chain wheels
as herein described and claimed and operating by the means and in manner set
forth.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1897.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
Warwick Chambers, 104, Colmore Row, Birmingham.
Patent Agents for the Applicant.