Improvements in Chains and Chain Wheels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 7th May, 1898
Improvements in Chains and Chain Wheels.
ALFRED PERICLES MAXFIELD, of 25, Aston Church Road, Nechells, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in driving chains and wheels, for the
transmission of power, for cycles and other veliicles. The object of this invention
is to construct a chain and wheels, to cause less friction than the block or roller
chains, and to give a greater bearing surface upon the wheels with a narrower
chain. My invention also faciliates the manufacture of chains in a very quick,
simple, and inexpensive manner. It is a chain that can be made of any pitch or
strength.
My improved chain, consists of links stamped out uniform in size and shape,
and connected together by means of pins, rivets, or any othe suitable manner.
Each link, or stamping having a tooth formed in the centre, which projects into
the spaces between the the teeth, blocks or rollers in wheels driving or driven. My
invention gives greater bearing surface than ordinary chains of the same width.
The wheels must be made in such a way as will suit the chain, this 1 do by
turning out the rim to form a channel, within which channel I fix a number of
rollers or blocks at equal distances from each other. The projections on the chain
inguage with these rollers or blocks.
In place of turning out the channel, from solid stampings, or castings, I take
two circular sheets of metal suitably dished, so that by being placed together,
the channel would be thus formed.
Improvements in Chains and Chain Wheels.
I, ALFRED PERICLES MAXFIELD, of 25, Aston Church Road, Nechells, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
my said 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 improvements in driving chains and wheels for the
transmission of power for cycles and other vehicles. The object of this invention
is to construct a chain and wheels, to cause less friction than the block or roller
chains, and to give a greater bearing surface upon the wheels with a narrower
chain. My invention also facilitates the manufacture of chains in a very quick
[Price 8d.1

page_text: simple and inexpensive manner. It is a chain that can be made of any pitch or
strength.
My improve chain consists of links stamped out uniform in size and shape
and connected together by means of pins, rivets, or any other suitable manner.
Each link or stamping having a tooth formed in the centre which projects into 5
the spaces between the teeth blocks or rollers in, wheels driving or driven. My
invention gives greater bearing surface than ordinary chains of the same width.
The wheels must be made in such a way as will suit the chain, this I do by
turning out the rim to form a channel; within which channel I fix a number of
rollers or blocks at equal distances from each other. The projections on the chain
engage with these rollers or blocks.
In place of turning out the channel from solid stampings or castings I take
two circular sheets of metal suitably dished, so that by being placed together,
the channel would be thus formed.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and, more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings
upon which I have illustrated examples of my improved chain wheels and chains.
Figure 1 is a part sectional front elevation of a cycle bottom bracket chain wheel
made according to my invention and around which a piece of my chain is fitted:
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the chain wheels and driving crank as shewn 2
at Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a part sectional front elevation of the back hub chain wheel of 'a
cycle made according to my invention and around which a piece of my chain is
fitted.
Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of Figure 3 with the driving chain removed. 2
Figure 5 is an edge view of a portion of my driving chain.
Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5.
In carrying my invention into practice I form the wheel A in two parts of light
sheet steel by stamping or pressing. These parts are then secured together by the
rivets a which pass through the arms or spokes as of the wheel and through the
boss or centre and the rivets which secure the boss of the wheel at the same time
secure the crank K to the boss. The spokes or arms a are slightly tapered from
the centre of the wheel to the rim and are bent outwards on one side so that when
the driving crank is secured to the boss of the wheel it fits well up against the
flange of the wheel thereby reducing the width of the tread. The flanges a³ of the 3
two parts of the wheel are each bent outwards so that when secured together they
form the groove or channel at all round as clearly shown at Figure 2, and in this
channel we fit a number of rollers a³ at equidistances apart all round the rim of the
wheel. These rollers are mounted on the rivets or spindles the ends of which
are reduced so as to form shoulders against which the inner sides of the groove 4
fit the reduced ends of the spindles or rivets being rivetted over on the outer sides
of the groove, thus keeping the sides of the rim true. In some cases I may form
the wheel A in one part from a stamping or casting or forging with a groove turned
in the rim into which the rollers a are fitted as previously described.
The back hub wheel B as shewn at Figures 3 and 4 may be formed in one part 4
with the groove b¹ turned in the edge of the rim in which the rollers a5 are mounted
in a similar manner as herein before described. Or I may form the wheel B in
two parts from sheet steel by stamping or pressing and rivet them together or the
parts may be held together by the rivets a on which the rollers as are mounted.
Instead of mounting rollers in the groove of my wheels I may fix a number of 5
blocks or the like which would answer the same purpose.
At Figures 5 and 6 I have shewn an example of my driving chain which is
made from a number of outer and inner links and da stamped or pressed out
uniform in shape and size each link having the projection or tooth d which 'fits
into the spaces between the rollers or blocks in the groove of the wheel. The 5
inner and outer links are connected together at their ends by the rivets d*.so that

page_text: the projections on the outer and inner links form the hollow or recess do into which
the roller or block of the wheel fit. Instead of forming the inner links in two
parts they may be formed in one piece but generally speaking I prefer to form them
in two parts for cheapness of manufacture.
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:
CLAIMS.
First: The improvements in chain and chain wheels oonsisting essentially in
forming a groove around the periphery of the wheel whether the said wheel is
formed in one or two parts and mounting in the said groove a number of rollers
or blocks, the driving chain which is formed of a number of links fitting into the
said groove each link being formed with a projection or tooth d³ which bears
against the rollers or block in the wheel in the manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as herein before described and as shewn on the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
Second: Forming chain wheels whether in one or two parts with a groove
around the periphery and mounting in the said groove a number of rollers or blocks
in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set forth and as shewn
upon the drawings.
Third:-Driving chains formed from a number of links each link having a
tooth or projection such as which projections when the links are fitted together
form the hollows or recesses such as for the purpose substantially as herein set
forth and as shewn upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 29th day of March 1898.
ALFRED PERICLES MAXFIELD,
By George Barker,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.