US1305673A - Friend w - Google Patents

Description

F. W. SMITH, In.

WIRE CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1916. RENEWED oct. 24. 1918.

1,305,673. Patented June 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET WASH ms rum 0. c.

F. W. SMITH, In.

wme CHAIN. APPLICATION FILED JULY I5, I9I6- RENEWED OCT. 24. I918.

Patente J 11110 3, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SIIEET 2.

' TinrTnn STATES PATENT orrron.

FRIEND W. SMITH, JR., 015 BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SMITH &

EGGE MFG. 00.,013 BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTI- OUT.

WIRE CHAIN.

Patented June 3, 1919.

Application filed July 15, 1916, Serial No. 109,553. Renewed October 24, 1918. Serial No. 259,598.

To all whom 2'2! may concern.

Be it known that I, FRIEND IV. SMITH, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wire Chains, of which the following is a speoification.

' This invention pertains to wire chains and hasfor its main object the production of a chain wherein the ends of the wire extending from the bow or loop of the link are interlocked in the formation of the eye in such manner as to prevent spreading or collapse of the loop under stress. Furthermore, the eye is strong and there are no projecting ends which render the chain rough, so that it will not gather lint and waste. Again, the construction is such that the chain may be readily employed as a sprocket-chain, a point of manifest advantage.

While being flexible, in that there is no pinching or binding of the interconnected loops and eyes, the loops will maintain their shape under ordinary strains; that is to say, they will not spread nor collapse, such action to a great extent being prevented by the crossing over of the loop or bow ends in the formation of the eyes, as will be hereinafter set forth.

The invention is susceptible of various embodiments and several of such are illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a face view of two interconnected links of the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 a side elevation'of the same;

Fig. 3 a perspective view;

Fig. 4 a like view of a link, with one of the eye sections broken away;

Fig. 5 a face view of a modified form of link;

Figs. 6 and thereof;

Figs. 8 and 9, l0 and 11, 12 and 13 and 14 and 15 face and side elevations, respectively, of four other modifications.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, each link 7 side and perspective views is formed from a single piece of wire bent to form and comprises a bow or loop, shown as elongated in form, having an end or curved portion 1 and side strands or elements 2 and 3. In forming up the link the side strands are each carried inwardly and cross each other, each being slightly bowed or offset, as at 4, where they contact in crossing. Each strand end is then bent laterally and upwardly, and in opposite directions, thence downwardly to a point be low that where the strands cross at the upper end of the loop, and is then carried inwardly through and in contact with the cross-over members of the loop body, and finally turned in beneath the first lateral bend in the eye.

Stated in another way, the eye of the link may be said to be formed by turning each strand end outwardly, as at 5, above the bowed crossing portions 4, said outward portion 5 (and the remainder of the eye as well) lying in a plane which stands at right angles to a plane passing longitudinally through the elements 2 and 3; from 5 the strand passes into a semicircular portion 6, the opposite element 7 whereof extends downwardly to a point below the cross-over sections 4, being carried beneath the same, as at 8, and thence upwardly inside and in contact with the adjacent strand, the incurved end 9 lying beneath and close to the out-turned or eye section 5. By this formation each end 9 of the strand is protected or covered. At the same time a twin eye is formed at one end of the'loop, the two strands which form the eye lying side by side, as do also the lower and what may be termed the anchoring or hook ends of the eyes, composed of the lower portion of element 7, the curved section 8 and the in turned end 9. It is also to be noted that the eyes proper and the anchoring sections of the eyes are bent or formed in opposite direct-ions to each other, and that the anchoring sections both pass through the upper end of the loop beneath the cross-over sections 4. Thus, the loop end adjacent the eye is firmly held in place and against spread or collapse under strain, and the formation is such as to provide for covering or housing of the end of the inturned portion 9. The combined eye and anchoring element may be said to have the general outline of a figure 9, see Fig. 2, the upper portion whereof forms the eye proper and the lower tail portion the-anchoring element.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive, the construction is the same as that above set forth, exceptfor the manner in which the ends of the strands are curled or anchored.

In this instance, instead of extending the eye strand downwardly, as at 7, said clowngoing side is carried over the crossing strands 4, as at 10, and then curled inwardly through the bow and around the strand. In other words, the anchoring ends of the eyes are merely curled around the upper end elements ofthe bow in directions reverse to that shown in the form first described.

WViththe form illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 the side strands crosseach other as before, and the eyes are formed by carrying the strands upwardly, as at 11, and also inwardly toward each other at the upper portion 12 of the eye, the strands being then carried downwardly between the lower. portion'ofsections 11 and over the cross-over portion 4 of; the loop, thence through the loop below said; portion, as denoted by 13, and the ends 14 turned inwardly beneath the overlyingaportions of the eye.

- The. construction illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 is a reversal of that shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The strands cross as at at, but instead; of carrying the anchoring portions or elements of; the eyes down between the elements thereof, said portions, denoted by 1,5, are carried over the crossing portions 4. and. thence pass inwardly and upwardly, the, extreme ends 16 extending beneath and being covered by the eye proper.

In Figs. 12 and 13 the upper portions of the side strands of the loop are crossed, as at 4:, and. are deflected to onev side, as at 17, both in the same general direction and to the same side of theloop, then curved upwardly, over and downwardly forming. eyes, the ends 18 being carried through the loop beneath crosseover 4, thence upwardly and between the lower portion of thecurved and deflected. portions 17;

The construction illustrated in Figs. 1a and 15 is similarto that last described. The side strands, as in all the other forms, cross over'at the, upper end of the loop, as at 4. They are then deflected laterally of the loop, as at 19, extend upwardly over and downwardly, forming the eye and have their lowerends (which pass beneath the crossedover members) coiled or twisted aroundv said members, as at. 20.

Under all the forms, strain applied to the chain has a tendency to force or draw the component elements of the eyes together, a point of manifest advantage. Furthermore, as above indicated, the bows or loops of the chain limbs cannot be spread, nor will they elongate under normal strain, this by reason of the fact that the ends of the strands which form the anchoring elements of the twin eye pass through the bow or loop and bind or tie the crossover elements of the bow or loop. end together.

It is also to be noted that under all the constructions the terminals or ends of the wire pass through and clear of theloop and the ends extend toward the eye, and in all the constructions, with the possible excep' tion ofthe last modification, the ends are covered by the overlying eye portions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A wire chain, each link of which consists of a bowportion and two eye portions, the wire from which said link is formed crossing intermediate said how and eye por tions, with the terminal ofeach. eye anchored or interlocked to the, cross-over'portion of the strand which extends fromthe opposite side of the bow, whereby the eyes and bow are anchored to each other.

2. A chain, each link oi which consists. of a bow portion and eye portions that are disposed in planes at right angles to. each other, the, side wires ofthe: bow terminating in, said eyes, and each. side. wire. being on a side of the link opposite to that on. which its corresponding eye portion is located.

3. A chain, each link of which consists of a bow portion and. eyeportions :Eormedfrom av single piece 015 wire, the. strands oi the sides of the bows, crossing each other, and the. eyes being fprmed as extensions. of said strands, the ends of the wire passingthrough the bow in. contact with the cross-over portions and then being. bent and housed: at the bases of the eyes in parallelism and substantially in contact. i

4. A chain, each link 01'5" which consists of a bow portion and eye, portions formed from. a single piece of; wire, the bow and eye portions being. disposed in. planes at right angles to each other, the side strands of the bow crossing, each. other. at one. end of the bow, thenbeing curved: upwardly and downwardly each in a direction thereverse of the other, with the lower. 611(11' oi each turned inwardly through thebow in parallelism, substantially in contact with each other, and also. in. contact with the crossed wires thereof, theterminals lying. belowl and being covered by the adjacent upwardly-ex tending portions of the eye.

5. A chain link formed: fro na inglepiece of.- wire bent to form, and comprising a b ow portion and two eye portions, said eye pore tions lying. side by side and. each having the general outline of a figure 9, the upper? portion whereof-forms the eye properfia'nd the lower portion an anchoring elementembracing that strand of the loop-which passes therethrough and extends to the otheneye portion. T r

' 6'. A chain link formed from asinglepiece of wire bent to formandcomprisingsa. bow portion and two twin eyeportions, the eyes eing disposed in planes whichare at: right LIB angles to the plane of the bow, the eyes lying figure 9, the upper portion whereof forms bow crossing each other and being engaged the eye proper and the lower portion an by and anchored to the inturned ends of 10 anchoring element embracing that strand of the eyes, which pass through the bow porthe loop which passes therethrough and extion and lie in contact with each other withtends to the other eye portion. in the loop.

7 A chain link formed from a single piece In testimony whereof I have signed my of wire and comprising a bow portion and name to this specification. two eye portions, the side strands of the FRIEND W. SMITH, JR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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