667,759. Assembling roller chains. SMITH, M. May 9, 1950 [May 16, 1949], No. 11516/50. Classes 83 (ii) and 83 (iv). [Also in Group XXX] A roller chain assembly apparatus comprises a carrier having a plurality of carrier blocks, each block having upwardly-open recesses for receiving cylindrical tubular chain rollers, a track in which the blocks are carried, drive mechanism for intermittently advancing the blocks, a plurality of stations at which the blocks come to rest, and means at each station for applying the elements of the chain in a predetermined order. The roller chain comprises pins 10, Fig. 1, extending through collars 11 of inside plates 12, the abutting collars being surrounded by a tubular roller 13. Outside plates 14 are retained on the pins 10 by riveting. A machine for assembling the chain comprises a frame 20 mounted on a base 24. A plurality of carrier blocks 25 each having on its upper surface a pair of recesses 26 for receiving the tubular rolls are each secured to a plate 27 which at its underside has rollers and links, so forming a sprocket chain which engages a pair of sprockets 32 and 34. The blocks are intermittently advanced by means of an electric motor which drives a cam. shaft 54 geared to a plate 64 of a Geneva mechanism, the second plate 68 of which is carried by a shaft 71 which, through worm gearing, drives a cross-shaft 73 on which the sprocket 34 is mounted. A second cam-shaft 80 extends along the opposite side of the machine from the shaft 54 and is driven at the same speed. Stationary shafts 83 are mounted above the cam-shafts and carry levers which are actuated by the cam-shafts. A composite rail 22 provides a longitudinally extending channel for the carrier blocks the channel varying in cross-sectional shape in order to accommodate each additional part of the chain as it is assembled. The parts of the chain are assembled at various stations and after the riveting of the pins the completed chain is elevated out of the carrier blocks on to an unloading ramp 108. Sensing means comprising a plunger and solenoid are provided at each station so that braking means on the motor would instantly arrest the machine if the parts were not correctly assembled. At the first station hoppers supply a pair of rolls 13, Fig. 17, through passages 110, 111 and plungers 118 feed the rolls to passages 115, the plungers being operated by a cam on the shaft 54 acting through a lever and spring-loaded linkwork. The carrier blocks are accurately located under the feed passages 115 by a pin which engages an opening in the block, the pin being operated by links connected to a cam-operated lever on the shaft 83. At the second and third stations the inside plates 12 are supplied from a hopper through a guideway 200, Fig. 21. A spring- loaded restricter plate 205 retains the plates against advance by gravity. The plates are fed by a finger 220 on a slide 216, Fig. 22, which is actuated by a cam and lever on the shafts 80, 83, respectively. The finger has an overcentring device operated by stops 218, 219. When a plate reaches a recess 229 a plunger 230 actuated by a cam on the shaft 54 aligns the plate with the rolls. The recess 229 is closed at one end by a tapered spring-loaded plunger which holds the plate and prevents it falling over. A plunger 242 actuated by a cam 244 on shaft 54 moves the plate transversely into engagement with the rolls. At station four the pins 10 are supplied from a hopper through tubes 260 into vertical passages 261, from which the lowermost pins are tipped by a slide 264, Fig. 27, into grooves 270, Fig. 28 (not shown) on the slide extension 266, the pins then being moved into alignment with the openings in the collars 11 of the inside plates 12 where-upon an auxiliary slide 276 presses the pins into the chain assembly. An independent slide carrying a spring- loaded plunger 286 controls the supply of pins from the passages 261. At Stations five and six the outside plates 14 are added to the assembly. The plates are fed step-by-step from a hopper along a channel 320 by means of a slide 325 carrying a feed dog 323, Fig. 31, controlled by fixed abutments 334, 336 which operate an overcentring device attached to the dog. Each plate is advanced into alignment with a vertical plunger 342 which moves the plate downwardly into alignment with a horizontal plunger 356 which pushes the plate through a tapered opening 364 having a spring- loaded side wall formed by a plunger 366, Fig. 30 (not shown), into engagement with the pins 10 of the assembly. A locating pin 382 ensures exact registration of the carrier blocks at these stations. Mechanism for separating the chain into lengths at station seven comprises a pair of plungers 450, Fig. 37, having extensions 452 for ejecting the pins 10 where severance of the chain is required. The plungers are carried by a slide 458 which is locked by a solenoid-operated latch dog 466. A counting mechanism 482 actuated by a cam 486 energizes the solenoid after a predetermined number of links have passed the station. The mechanism is reset by the cam 496 and the latch dog locks the slide 458. Riveting.-At stations eight and nine the heads of the pins 10 are riveted by a pair of punches 514, Fig. 41, on a slide 510 operated by a fly-wheel 520 driven from the cam-shaft 80. The carrier blocks are located at these stations by spring-loaded plungers on slides and sensing mechanism comprising a feeler rod and a microswitch ensures that the chain is correctly assembled prior to riveting.