IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONNECTING LINES OR HOOKS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Altred Vincent Newfon, of the Office for Patents,
66. Chancery Lane. in the County of Middlesex. Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
CONNECTING LINES OR HOOKS."- A communication from abroad by Robert
Creuzbaur. of the City and State of New York, United States of
Amonive
Sealed the 7th September 1866. and dated the 5th July 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, OIL
the 5th July 1866.
1. ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON. of the Office for Patents. 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
CONNECTING LINKS OR HOOKS," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to a mode of increasing the strengthi
of sectional pivoted links from the lateral or transverse resistance of the
material which heretofore formed the base or resistance to the tensile or
cohesive strength of the material used. thereby greatly increasing the strength
of links of a given amount of metal and preventing them from being drawn
out when subjected to considerable strain.

page_text: The second part of the Invention relates to a mode of fastening sectional
links so that they shall not be liable to casual detachment from an object to
which they are connected. The links, which may be either C or S shaped,
(single or double) are each made of two pieces of flat or half-round metal
bent into the required shape by means of any suitable bending and swaging
machinery. The flat faces of two of these pieces of bent metal or half links
are brought together to form a link; their contact surfaces are provided with
shoulders or stops and inclined planes, or with tongues and grooves, and are
the counterpart the one of the other, so that when brought together the
contact surfaces interlock and they are secured by being pivoted together at
the centre by means of a riveted or screwed stud. When a riveted stud is
used there may be placed under its head a flat spring for keeping the two half
links together and preventing their casual displacement when in use. The
neck of the pivot or stud must be of such length as will allow of the two half
links being forced apart to allow the projections on the one to clear the
corresponding projections on the other half link, so that the links can be
opened to allow of their application to or removal from the link of a chain or
a ring or other object. The spring may be kept in place by scating its ends
into notches formed in the half link against which it presses. When a spring
is not used the link may be locked or prevented from working too loosely by
making a V-shaped elevation on the end of one of the two parts and a corre-
sponding indentation on the other part. In closing the link the elevation will
fall into the indentation and retain the two parts securely in place. In some
cases the half links are made slightly thinner in the middle or around the
pivot, so that when put together and brought in forcible contact by means of
a screw pivot they will stand slightly apart, but he pressed together at their
ends;
this will bring a bearing upon the head of the screw when it is screwed
home, and will prevent both the screw and plates from becoming casually
loose. In closing the link sections the screw can be set up very tight with
the fingers. In place of shoulders and tongues and grooves short studs and
perforations may be used for locking the two parts of the link together.
The C-shaped half links have their connecting pivot at one end of the link,
and their tongue and groove abutments are made concentric to the connecting
pivot. When circumstances require that this link should be frequently opened
a leather thong is passed through holes made therein; but when it is desired
to permanently attach this link to a chain ring or other object either a screw
pin or rivet may be inserted Through the holes for keeping the link closed.
The well-known "sister hook" may have the improved strengthening abuf

page_text: ments above mentioned applied to the abutting faces of the two hooks for the
purpose of strengthening them.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents. 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex. Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria. by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of July, in the year of of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign.
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Vincent Newfon. Her special licence that 1, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed. should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONNECTING LINKS OR Hooks," being a communi-
cation to me from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said
Alfred Vincent Newton. my executors or administrators, by an instrument.
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what.
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that . the said Alfred Vincent Newton. do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed. 10 be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement. reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed.
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The first part of this Invention consists in a mode of increasing the strength
of sectional pivotted links from the lateral or transverse resistance of the
material which heretofore formed the base or resistance to the tensile or

page_text: cohesive strength of the material used. thereby greatly increasing the strength
of links of a given amount of metal and preventing them from being drawn
out when subjected to considerable strain.
The second part of this Invention consists in a mode of fastening sectional
links so that they shall not be liable to casual detachment from an object to
which they are connected.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. is a side view of an S-shaped link
with spring and shoulder abutments; and Figures 2 and 3 are different views
of the same link: Fig. 4 is a view of one side of an S-shaped link with tongue
and groove abutment; and Figures 5. 6, and 7. are different views of the
same link: Fig. 8 is a view of an S-shaped link with shoulder abutment and
a screw fastening and Figures 9 and 10 are different views of the same link:
Figures 11 are views of an S-shaped link with tongue and groove abutment
and screw pivot: Figures 12 are views of an S-shaped iink with shoulder abut-
ment and screw pivot: Figures 13 are views of an S-shaped link with stud
and hole abutment and screw pivot: Figures 14 are views of a C-shaped link
with tongue and groove abutment; Figures 15 are views of a sister hook
with tongue and groove abutment. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding paris in the several Figures.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 A, A. represent two S-shaped plates or half links
which may be made of flat or half-round metal and bent into the required
shape by means of any suitable bending and swaging machinery. These half
links A. A are constructed with shoulders or stops a, a, b, b. and inclined
planes b', ', on their impinging sides. These shoulders abut against each
other when the two parts of the link are brought together, as represented in
Figures and 2; they are plainly represented on the half link A of Fig. 3,
which is a counterpart of the half link A' that is used in connection with it to
close the spaces at its ends. These two sections A. A', are put together in
reverse order, as shewn in Fig. 1, and pivotted together at the centre by
means of a sinde having a head formed on one end. which stud is rivetted to
one of the sections and provided with a flat spring that keeps the two half
links or sections together and prevents their casual displacement when in use.
The neck of the pivot or stud e is of such length as will allow of the two
plates A, A, being pressed apart so that the shoulders on one plate may clear
the corresponding shoulders on the other plate or half link, whereby the links
can be opened to allow of their application to or removal from the link of a
chain or a ring or other object. The spring is kept in place by seating its
ends into notches g, g, which are formed in the half link against which the

page_text: extremities of this spring press, as shewn in Fig. 1, and also by means of the
head of the pivot e, so that this spring forms a very good lock for keeping the
two links in proper relation to each other.
In Figures 4. 5. 6. and 7 another mode of applying the Invention to the
S-shaped plates or half links is represented. This modification consists in
forming interlocking shoulders h. h. which are concentric to the axis of the
pivot h, which in this instance is a rivet. The shoulders h, h, or tongues and
grooves may be swaged and then finished in a lathe, the elevations of one half
link or plate A being fitted to slide smoothly and snugly in corresponding
grooves which are formed in the other half link or plate A¹. as shewn in
Fig. 6. Such a link may be locked or prevented from working too loosely
by making a V-shaped or rounded elevation i (see Fig. 5) on the end of one
of the two parts A. A¹. and a corresponding indentation on the other part.
The projection i may be made with a "centre punch" after the link is other-
wise finished. In closing the links this elevation will spring the plates A, A'.
apart until it falls into the indentation, when it will retain the two plates in
place, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. .The S-shaped link represented in
Figures 8, 9, and 10 is constructed with shoulders on its abutting surfaces.
like Figures 1. 2. and 3, but instead of using a spring this link of Figures
8. 9. and 10 has its two parts made slightly thinner in the middle or around
the pivot, so that when put together and brought in forcible contact by
means of a screw pixot they will stand slightly apart near the pivot, as shewn
in Fig. 9, but be pressed together at their ends; this will bring a bearing
upon the head of the screw when it is screwed home, and will prevent both
the screw and plates from becoming casually loose. By pressing the two
parts of this link together in the centre the screw j may then be loosened with
the fingers without the aid of an instrument. In closing the link sections the
screw can be set up very tight in the same manner with the fingers. In this
link the half A' which is next to the head of the screw works loosely on the
neck of the latter, and the other half A has screw threads through it and an
enlargement on the outside in which the threaded end of the screw works
freely. The link shewn in Figures 11 is constructed of half-round metal,
substantially in the manner as shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, the only
difference being that this link has a less number of concentric grooves and
tongues. The link of Fig. 12 is made with shoulder abutments, and the two
parts are connected together by a screw pivot like the link shewn in Figures
8, 9, and 10; this link is also made of half-round metal.
The link shewn in Figs. 13 is another modification of the S-shaped link

page_text: wherein short studs and recesses m are made for locking the two parts of
the link together. In this link a screw pivot n is used for connecting the
parts together.
In Figures 14 a "C"-shaped link is shewn with tongue and groove abutments
that are made concentric to the connecting pivot p. This link is made of
two C-shaped plates of half-round or flat metal which are pivotted together
by the pin or rivet p. so that they can be opened or closed as shewn in the
Drawing. When circumstances require that this link should be frequently
opened a leather thong is passed through holes made therein; but when it
is desired to permanently attach this link to a chain ring or other object
either a screw pin or rivet may be inserted through the holes r for keeping
the link closed. Figs. 15 represents the well-known sister hook" with
the improved strengthening abutments applied to the abutting faces of the
two hooks.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that by the application
of this Invention the overlapping hooks are interlocked in such manner that
no ordinary strain will part the link or straighten out its ends. The Invention
also provides for locking the ends of. the links and preventing their accidental
detachment under all circumstances.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in
the Construction of Connecting Links or Hooks, and explained the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim,-
First. constructing sectional links and hooks with abutting or interlocking
parts for affording strength to the same, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Second, providing for locking or securing the sectional connecting links or
overlapping hooks, substantially as described.
In witness whereof. I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set any hand and seal, the Fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (1.s.)