Improved Construction of Chains.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1897
HARIAAL DIECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Chains.
We, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHROEDER, of Sydney, New South Wales, but at
present of 133, Amesbury Avenue, Streatham Hill, London, Engineer, and ISAAC
LAZARUS, of 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a construction of chains with links that are easily
detachable from each other so that in case of fracture the defective link or links
can be readily removed and replaced by new ones, while when fitted together in
correct position for exerting a pull they are as securely fixed together as the links
of an ordinary chain with closed or rivetted links.
For this purpose we construct the chain of two different kinds of links; the one
kind is formed with two parallel side cheeks that have slotted openings and that
are rigidly united together by a transverse part on the one side, while they have
an open space between them at the other side, also extending round the two ends,
so that the link has somewhat the appearance of two ordinary looped chain
links, connected rigidly together at a certain distance apart by a transverse piece,
on one side. The second link consists of a stem having a T head at each end.
For fitting these two kinds of links together the Theaded link is held .in
a position at right angles to the other link with its one T head in a direction
in which it can be passed in through the space between the cheeks; it is then
turned one quarter round, whereby the cylindrical ends of the T head are caused
to enter the slots in the cheeks, and the link is then turned down into the position
in line with the first described link, the ends of the Ṭ head being then made to
bear against the rounded ends of the slots in the cheeks.
Thus it will be seen that for the two links to become disengaged again, the
T headed link must be first raised up at right angles again and be then turned
one quarter round so as to enable the T head to be raised up through the space
between the two cheeks.
In order to increase the hold of the T headed link upon the other links, the
ends of the T head may be made slightly undercut at the parts that come in contact
with the looped ends of the other link, and this would be correspondingly shaped so
as to be locked in a lateral direction by the T head.
By preference we make the T heads of the link of larger size than the stem.
which is preferably of a flat form; the space between the cheeks of the other
link is in this case made wider at the middle part, where the T head is passed
through, than at the ends, where it is only of a width corresponding to the
thickness of the stem.
The above described improved construction of chain is particularly applicable
with advantage as pitch chain for cycles, as the rider can be provided with several
spare links with which he can readily replace defective ones. When the chain is
thus employed for chain gear, the pitch wheels may either have double teeth
formed to fit into the spaces on each side of the T headed link, or they may be
TD 077

page_text: formed with single teeth to fit either through the middle of the looped links,
between the two T heads of the links connected thereto, or through a slotted open-
ing formed through the thickened stem of the T headed links, or the wheels may be
formed in any other convenient manner to engage with the chain.
Any desired number of chains constructed as above described can be secured
together side by side so as to form a flat chain belt of greater strength by passing
apin transversely through all the contiguous looped links situated side by side
such pin being passed through the space between the T heads of the other links,
and secured by heads or pins and washers at the projecting ends. Such a pin may
also be passed through the looped links, of the single chains, for additional
security.
100%
Improved Construction of Chains.
We, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHROEDER, of Sydney, New South Wales, but at
present of 133, Amesbury Avenue, Streatham Hill, London, Engineer, and ISAAC
LAZARUS, of 3 and 4, Bevis Marks, London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
. This invention relates to a construction of chains with links that are easily
detachable from each other so that in case of fracture the defective link or links
can be readily removed and replaced by new ones while when fitted together in
correct position for exerting a pull they are as securely fixed together as the links
of an ordinary chain with closed or rivetted links.
For this purpose we construct the chain of two different kinds of links; the one
kind is formed with two parallel side cheeks that have slotted openings and that
are rigidly united together by a transverse part on the one side, while they have
an open space between them at the other side, also extending round the two ends,
so that the link has somewhat the appearance of two ordinary looped chain
links, connected rigidly together at a certain distance apart by a transverse piece,
on one side. The second link consists of a stem having a T head at each end.
For fitting these two kinds of links together the T headed link is held in
a position at right angles to the other link with its one head in a direction
in which it can be passed in through the space between the cheeks; it is then
turned one quarter round, whereby the cylindrical ends of the T head are caused
to enter the slots in the cheeks, and the link is then turned down into the position
in line with the first described link, the ends of the T lead being then made to
bear against the rounded ends of the slots in the cheeks.
Thus it will be seen that for the two links to become disengaged again, the
T headed link must be first raised up at right angles again and be then turned
one quarter round so as to enable the T head to be raised up through the space
between the two cheeks.
In order to increase the hold of the T headed link upon the other links, the
ends of the head may be made slightly undercut at the parts that come in contact
with the looped ends of the other link, and this would be correspondingly shaped so
as to be locked in a lateral direction by the T head.
Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings shew one form of the above described

page_text: chain, in which the looped link a, b, c, is assumed to be formed out of a flat blank
which is afterwards bent into shape by means of dies.
Fig. 1 shews the blank for the one link which may either be stamped out of
a metal plate, or be otherwise formed, and consists of two side cheeks a a, with
looped holes b, b, and connected together by a piece c which may have a hole formed
in it for lightness as shewn in dotted lines.
If the blank is formed by stamping, we prefer to employ for this purpose a
specially rolled plate with thickened edges as shewn in perspective at Figure 10,
the blanks being stamped out of this plate in the position shewn in dotted lines,
so that the thickened edges form the ends of the looped side cheeks, which thus
offer the requisite thickness for the T heads of the second link to bear against,
while the other parts of the link are kept thinner.
The blank thus formed then has its side cheeks a a bent up at right angles, as
shewn in the perspective view at Figure 2 and in plan at Figure 3, where the
two parallel cheeks a a, connected together on the one side by the piece c, have a
wide space between them at the middle, and a narrower space round each end
as shewn. Figure 4 shews a plan and Figure 5 a side view of the other link;
this consists of a flat shank d having a T head e at each end. For connecting this
link to the link abc, the former being held in the dotted position shewn at
Figure 6, is then passed down through the wide space between the two cheeks a
of the other link, and when so inserted it is turned one quarter round so that the
ends of the T head e pass into the loops 6 of the cheeks a. The link de is then
turned down so as to lie in line with the link a, b, c, with the shank d lying in the
narrow part of the space between a a, and with the surfaces of the heads e bearing
against the thickened rounded ends of the loops b, as shewn in plan at Figure 3
and side view at Figure 6 of the joined links. The parts of the T heads that bear
against the loops b are by preference formed undercut, as shewn while the end
surfaces of the loops are correspondingly sloped, thus effectually locking the two
links together in the transverse direction, and preventing the possibility of a a
spreading outwards.
It will be seen that for the two links to become disengaged again, the T headed
link must be first raised up at right angles again and he then turned one quarter
round so as to enable the T head to be raised up through the space between the
two cheeks.
Figure 8 shews a perspective view and Figure 9 a plan of a slightly modified
form of the chain links in which the looped link a, b, c, may either be formed by
stamping as above described, and finished by cutting or they might be cast at once
in the finished form shewn, of any suitable metal such as cast steel, &c. The
Theaded links are in this case not formed undercut. Otherwise the parts only
differ in configuration, and being indicated by the same letters of reference, they
need not be farther described.
The above described improved construction of chain is particularly applicable
with advantage as pitch chain for cycles, as the rider can be provided with several
spare links with which he can readily replace defective ones. When the chain
is thus employed for chain gear, the pitch wheels may either have double teeth
formed to fit into the spaces on each side of the T headed link, at f Figure 6 or
they may be formed with single teeth to fit either through the space g Figures 3
and 9 in the middle of the looped links abc, between the two T heads of the
links connected thereto, or through a slotted opening formed either through the
connecting piece c, or through the thickened stem d of the T headed links, or
the wheels may be formed in any other convenient manner to engage with the
chain.
Any desired number of chains constructed as above-described can be secured
together side by side so as to form a flat chain belt of greater strength by passing
a pin h transversely through all the contiguous looped links situated side by side
as shewn at Figure 7, such pin being passed through the space between the
Theads of the other links, and secured by heads or pins and washers at the pro-

page_text: jecting ends. Such a pin may also be passed through the looped links of the single
chains between the Theads for additional security.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A chain link composed of two parallel looped cheeks a a connected by a middle
piece c on one side thereof the space between the middle part of the cheeks being
wider than that between the thicker ends thereof so that the T head of a connecting
link can be introduced into such middle part and be then turned so as to engage
with the loops bb and bear against the ends thereof substantially as described.
2. A chain link such as is referred to in the preceding claim produced by stamp-
ing a flat blank consisting of two looped side pieces a a, connected by a middle piece c
out of sheet metal and then bending up the two side pieces a a so as to form parallel
looped cheeks, substantially as described.
3. The combination of a series of chains consisting of looped links such as are
referred to in the first claim connected by T headed links, such chains being
secured together side by side by means of transverse pins passed through the
loops of the links a bc, substantially as described.
D1 17:00 1 J
1000