US1157175A - Chain-link and the process of making and assembling same. - Google Patents

Description

H. OSSWALD.

CHAIN LIN K AND THE PROCESS OF MAKING AND ASSEMBLING SAME.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18. 1914. 1,157,175

dial m Q Q the Process of Making UNITED STATES PATENT "OFFICE, v

HERMAN OSSWALD, OF GREENLAWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LOGKE STEEL CHAIN COMPANY, OF GREAT RIVER, NEW YORK,- A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN-LINK AND THE PROCESS OF MAKING AND ASSEMBLING SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Original application filed May 12, 1908, Serial No. 432,502. Divided and. this application filed July 18, 1914.

Serial No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN OSSWALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenl'awn, Long Island, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Chain-Links and and Assembling Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sheet metal drive chain links and the process of making and assembling them. It is an improvement upon the invention of S. D. Locke and Vieillard, and Osswald disclosed and patented in their respective Letters Patent of the United States No. 580,57 9 and 580,564, granted April 13th, 1897.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 432,502, filed May 12,1908,- now Patent 1,107,831, patented Aug. 18, 1914.

One of the objects of my invention is to greatly simplify the process of making sheet metal drive chain, to cheapen the cost of its production, to insure greater uniformity of the individual links than has heretofore been thecase, and to obviate the unnecessary and undesirable straining and bending of the metal of which a link is formed, incident to earlier methods of making drive chains and links.

Another objectof my invention is to so systematize the steps in the formation of a sheet metal link that no unnecessary and harmful work will be done on the metal of the link at any one step, which at av subsequent operation' must be'undone, as has been incident to earlier methods ofmaking drive chains and links.

Another object of my invention is to form up or bend up the large end or sprocket bar and the small end or pintle bar of the link in such manner as to make them more perfect and of greater uniformity of shape and strength than has heretofore been the case.

Another object of my invention is to preclude bulging or stretching of the metal in the portion of the end hook or sprocket bar' between the side bars. In each earlier sheet metal drive chain link having an end hook or sprocket bar formed from metal of the link blank between the side bars, of which I am aware, the portion of said end hook between the inner ends of the side bars has been stretched, bulged or extended in directions tending to weaken the link structure at this point.

In my improved link and made by my new process, the metal of the end hook be-' tween the side bars is formed up in the direction f its final shape without stretchmg, bulg ng or extending out of that direction during its formation. Accordingly,

-my improved links are of considerably greater tensile strength and more uniform in tensile strength than any earlier links of this class. Y

Other objects of my invention will be obvious from the following description of it.

Starting with a strip of metal 36, as shown in the drawings, I first score it on its upper and lower surfaces along lines 80 and 81, as shown in Fig. 3. This step is preferably the first step in my process and is made ahead of and entirely in advance of any forming, shaping and severing operations upon the strip or blank. I next sever the metal of the blank between the longitudinal lines of score .along a transverse l1ne 82 as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 and bend upwardly the free end of the center section which is to form the narrow lip of the small end bar or 'pintle as indicated at 83, .the longer section between the lines of score is bent downwardly and slightly crimped as. indicated at 84, this section'beingin'tended later to form the end hook of the sprocket or largeend bar. The short lip 83 is sufliciently raised to give clearancefor bending upwardly the long lip of the center'section of the blank. At the next step of my process the long lip for the large end bar of the link is bent upwardly as indicated at 85, while the short lip for the small end bar is crimped as indicated at 86. At the same time that the longer lip is being formed into position 85, the large end bar is crimped as indicated at 87 and transversely scored at 88 along its under surface on the lineon which it is ultimately to be severed from the link or strip in front of it. At the next step'in my process the small end bar is crimped as indicated at 89 and its narrow lip is thrown upwardly in the-position 89, while the wide lip for the large end bar is bent downwardly as indicated at 91 and the narrow lip of the large end bar is formed into almost vertical position as indicated at 90. At the next step the narrow lip or hook of the large end bar is curled or rolled up as indicated at 92, while the-wide lip of the large end bar is formed in-cylindrical relation thereto as indicated at 95, the link is severed from the strip at its rear end and final shaping of. the small end bar is completed as indicated at 93; When progressive formation of a series: of connected links is desired, it. will. be: understood" that at the last step of the formation of the end hook 92', the hook. is formed about the pintle or small end bar' of the preceding of the chain as. indicated in the drawings;-

As one way of'carrying out my method in actual practice, I have herein selected to illustrate a set of scoring, forming, shaping and link connecting elements by means of which the steps in my process may be efiected, one after the other.

Figure 1 is a view, partly in sectionand partly in side elevation of a pair of dies, with a strip of metalbetween them, illustrating one way of carrying out my invention. .Fig. 2 is an edge view of a strip of metal showing the process of formation into a chain, the completed coupled links being shown at the left end of the figure. Fig. 3

is a plan view of the metal .strip and links Shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the movable die and pitch correcting mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the stationary die. Fig. 6 illustrates a link blank as formed at one of the steps in the formation of a sheet metallink blank into a 'drive chainlink by one of the earlier processes and apparatus. Fig. 7 is a transverse section, through the portion 96,

of the link' blank illustrated in Fig. 6. Fig.

8 is a corresponding section through a link formed in carrying out a process embodying my invention on the line 1616,. Fig. 9.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a blank, in course of formation by a process embodying my invention.

38, 40 indicates as a whole, a pair of upper and lower dies between which the strip of metal 36 is adapted to be fed forward step by step by any suitable means (not shown).

The dies 38, 40, are adapted to be mounted.

in a suitable press having a power operated reciprocating slide, towhich one of said dies, preferably the upper die 38, is fixed, whereby said die is moved up and down or toward and from the other die, 40. The die 40 is preferably mounted-stationary on thebed' of the press.

The dies 38 and 40, which coiiperate with each other to form and assemble the. links, are arranged in longitudinal alinement with. the line of feed of the strip 36 and are properly centered relative to the said line of feed.

41, 42 are scoring knives or chisels arranged at the right hand end of the movable die 38 and adapted to impart lines of score to the upper surface of the strip of metal, which lines are parallel in the direction of the feed of the said strip with the exception of a slight divergence at their right hand ends. This divergence from parallelism of the right hand ends ofthe chisels is indicated at 41, 42, and is for a purpose to be hereinafter described. I

43, 44 are corresponding scoring knives or chisels carried by the stationary die 40 and arranged to. impart lines of score to the under surface of the strip of metal '36, each of which lines is directly beneath a line of score imparted to the strip of metal by one of the upper scoring knives. 45 is a sever-- ing and crimping element onthe, upper die having a convex crimping surface. It is arranged to coiiperate with a cutting and bending knife 46 on the lower die. The lower die is recessed at 47 in front of the cutting knife 46 and beneath the severing element 45. The metal of the stationary die 40 in front of the recess 47 is cut away along the inclined line 48 to permit a section of the metal of each link blank to be bent downwardly by the severing and crimping element 45 after it has been severed at one end by the combined action of this element and knife 46.

49 is a curved forming or crimping eleand crimping I ment on the movable die 38, about which the metal for forming the smaller end bar or pintle of each link is bent or crimped. In frontof this former 49 is a recess 50, and in front of it is an irregular shaped end bar forming punch element 51 consisting of two .substantially quarter circles 51', 51 52 is a forming and bending projection on the stationary die, it being adapted to' enter the the'line of severance of two links which are to adjoin each other and in conjunction with the forming corners 52 52 isadapted to force the metal of the link to follow the quarter circles 51, 51, on the former 51. This scoring knife 53 is in vertical alinement with the line vofintersection of the said two quarter circles of thepunch element'51.

In advance of thesa'id 'punch element 51 the movable die is recessed as indicated at 54 to allow clearance for the free upturning of the long lip of the metal blank for a link, which at-this step of its formation projects upwardly from the metal strip.

At 56 the stationary die is recessed to receive a cutting or severing knife 57 on the movable die, the edge 56 being a knife edge to work in conjunction with the knife 57 to sever the metal strip.

Immediately in front of the cutting knife 57, the movable die is shaped as indicated at 58 to complete the rounding and formatio of the small end bar of each link in cooperation with the recessed section 59of the stationary die.

At 60 the movable die is recessed for the purpose of engaging the longer section or lip of metal turned up from the central portion of each link blank and bending, curling and conforming it to the cylindrical shape desired, at the same time causing it to en circle the small end bar or pintle of the link in front of it, thereby coupling or attaching these links together. The stationary die is recessed at 61 to cooperate with the recessed portion 60 of the movable die in the final step of shaping and forming the large end bar of each link.

62 is a projection extending transversely across the recessed portion 61 of the stationary 'die. It servesto prevent the end of the lips of metal forming the large end or sprocket bar of each link from engaging with each other and to space them apart a predetermined distance. Mechanism may be employed for extracting and guiding the formed chain links out of the machine, of

any suitable and well known character.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for the purpose of correcting the size and pitch of the chain links. The size and pitch correcting mechanism is indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 7 8. Of this mechanism, 7 8 is an arm extending forward from, and. preferably detachably secured to the die holder-38. This arm 7 8? has formed preferably, integrally with it, a downwardly iextending finger 7 8 which is pointed at its I lower end as indicated at 7 8 the rear surface 78 of the said pointed finger being shorter and at a greater inclination to the horizontal than the front surface 7 8 of the -said finger. The finger 7 8 is arranged to enter the sprocket opening in the last link but one of the links formed in the machine.

78 is a block or finger pivotally connectedthe finger 78 78 is an adjustment screw fitted in the finger 7 8 and adapted to extend on the rear side of the latter and bear against the arm 7 8". Its purpose is to adjust the said finger 78 about the axis of the pivot other end secured at 78"" to the finger 78 The distance between the front wall of the downward extension 78 of the finger 78 and the rear wall of the finger 7 8 remains substantially constant when the machine is in operation. If a link is shorter in pitch than it should be, these sizing fingers bring it up to proper pitch by stretching it. In practice, I have found it desirable to form and arrange the dies 38 and 40 so that they will make the chain links of the desired pitch from the thinnest sections of the strip of steel used, depending upon the stretcher or pitch correcting mechanism 78 to draw the links formed from the thicker sections of the strip of metal up to gage as they would tend to shorten the pitch because the inner wall of the end hook thus formed would be closer to the center of said hook than requisite. v

The operation of the mechanism illustrated will be readily understood. A strip of metal 36 is directed through the feed mechanism until the gripping jaws of said feed'mechanism can engage with it. Power is then applied toethe-apparatus to actuate the feed mechanism and slide of the press, the strip 36 being guided so aS t0 lie properly between the dies 38 and 410. The slide of the press descends and the section of metal which is to form a link blank is first acted upon by the longitudinal scoring knives to score the upper and lower surfaces of the stock along the lines 80 and 81, as

1 shown in Fig. 3. The upper die is then elevated and the feed mechanism operated to feed the stock forward one step. This brings the scored section in position to be operated upon by the crimping and severing elements 45, 46. The slide descends and the portion of metal between the lines of longitudinal score is severed along the transverse line 82. The knife 46 bends upwardly, as indicated at 83, the section of the central portion or short lip of the link blankwhich is to be employed in forming the small end bar or pintle of the link. The action of the severing knife and crimper 45 is to press downwardly and crimp, the end of the longer section of the central portion 'or long lip of the link blank, as indicated at 84, which is to be employed 'in forming the large end orsprocket bar of the link before severing of the sections takes place.

The short lip 83 of each link-blank is sufficiently raised by the knife 46 to give clearance for bending upwardly the long lip of the blank. When the slide is next elevated,

" the said long narrow lip so that it can remain tangent to thequarter circle 51 on the forming element 51. At the same time the shoulder'52 on the projection 52 folds or crimps the short narrow lip for the small end bar, "as indicated at 86, against the convex forming surface of the element 49 on the upper die, and the forming element 51' on the upper die cooperates with the projection 52 to throw the long narrow lip of the link up into the recess 50, this long narrow lip remaining always tangent to the larger quarter circle 51 .oh the element 51. In cooperation with the scoring lmife 53 and the crimping edge 52 the quarter circle 51 on the element 51 crimps the wide lip for the large end bar of the link, as indicated at 87.

The movable die ascends and the link blank is fed forward. Now when the movable die descends, the scoring knife 53 also imparts a transverse score 88 to the under I 4 surface of the'strip of metal and the quarter circle 51 of the element 51 in cooperation with the scoring knife 53 and the crimping edge 52 crimps the wide lip of the small end bar, as indicated at 89, and at the same time the narrow lip of the small endbar is thrown upward as indicated at 89. The convex crimping surface of the element 57 cooperating with the forming edge 55 bends downwardly the wide lip of the large end bar to substantially its proper position in a finished link, as indicated at 91, and simul taneously the narrow lip of the large end bar, remaining tangent to the quarter circle of the element 57, is thrown almost into a vertical position, as indicated at 90. The slide is again elevated and the strip is fed forward another step, bringing the link blank into its final forming and assembling position. The slide descends and the element 60 commences to curl or roll the metal of the narrow lip of the large end bar into cylindrical shape and around the small end bar or pintle of the next preceding link. The knife edge of the element 57 acting -in conjunction with the lmife edge 56 on the stationary die, severs the link blank from the strip of metal, and theelements 61 and 62 on the stationary die co-act with the element 60 to complete theshape of the large end bar, as indicated at 92. The small end bar completing shapers 58 and 59 cooperate-f to form the small end bar into it's final the completed link out of the stationary die,

and advances it into position in which its small end bar is properly centered relative to the forming element 60 and 61, so that the large end bar of the next or succeeding link inthe series will be formed around it and these two links-thus. assembled. Upon each descending stroke of the slide, the pitch cor- .recting finger 7 8 enters the next to the last formed link, its surface 7 8 engages the large end bar of the last formed link and moves rearward the last formed link, positioning said link with its small end bar overlapping the end of the strip 36 and properly centered relative to the forming element 60, 61, the stretching and pitch correcting fingers 7 8 enters the link coupled-to the link entered by the finger 7 8 and these two fingers cooperate to correct the pitch of the links.

At the next elevation of the slide the extractor operates to advance the formed link-another step, and this step by step advancing of the formed links within the apparatus is continued, one link at a time being delivered from the apparatus.

It will be seen that the dies operate -simultaneously to perform progressive steps in the formation from a strip of metal of a completed link, and to assemble it with the link next in front of it in the series.

It has been found highly desirable to maintain thelink blank integral with the strip as long as possible during the steps in the formation ofa complete link. With the earlier processes for maln'n'g sheet metal drive. chain links of which I am aware, two distinct forming or bending operations are performed on a'link after it has been severed from the strip. In my new process for making these sheet metal .drive chains, but a single forming or bending operation is performed on the link after it has been severed from the strip. The last operation, in fact, has been started before the actual severing takes place, while in the earlier processes of which I am aware, the severing of the strip takes place two steps before the completing of the link.

Further, in all earlier methods of making sheet metal drive chains of which I am aware,'and particularly with chain made in a machine employing the said Vieillard and Osswald patented invention, the metal of which each link is formed is subject to being bent and strained, more than is required or necessary for the forming of the link, particularly at points across the link at the short lip-turned portion or wide lip95 of the sprocket bar or large end bar of the link and adjacent to the front' ends of the lines] of scoring forthe sidebars, as indicat'edfat- 96 in "Fig; 6. This bulgin'g or straining of 633,371 to Skogse,

- bars and there is the lines of score for the side bars.

accomplished by I In my improved combined drawing and bending of the metal at this point of the link blank. In the ma chine illustrated. in U. S. Letters Patent No. this bulging or bending of the link blanks at 96 was occasioned by the combined action of the first crimper for the Wide lip'95 and the scoring chisels. The metal of the links made by these earlier processes was stretched or-drawn at and all around the inside corners of the links or at and adjacent to the ends of the chisels in the Skogse method. This weakened the metal at the corners on the lines at the inner yends of the side bars of the naturally the weakest part of the links.

links, which are This'bulging or bending at 96 later has to be straightened out by the action of the last punch on the upper die, and as the blank holder of said patented constructions no longer supports the link blank at this point,

the lower movable die, which completed the formation. of the large end bar, works against the shearing resistance of the blank at 96 which, as before stated, is the point of greatest weakness of themetal for the sprocket bar, because of its having been drawn and also bent, first in one direction andthen in another, at this point.

process for making sheet metal drive chain, the central portion of the link blank which is to be bent or rolled to form end bars, is left substantially flat at the ends of the lines of scoring for the side no bulging or stretching of the metal for the end bars at and between This is having the scoring done a step in advance ofany bending, crimping or severing operation on the link blank, and 'by thereafter properly supporting the are forced downward upon the-blank to vital point in metal at this point during the operation of the bending, shaping, severing and coupling elemjents ofthe die blocks upon it. The link blank lies flat upon the lower set of scoring knives when the upper set of scoring knives quired to properly shape it in its final cur- 'which I am aware.

vilinear form, and this without any strain- 7 .ing or bulging which would tend to weaken the link at this point, as Was the case with all of the earlier links of the same class of The end bar forming punch 51, acting in conjunctlon with the link from a blank between the side bars out.

forming and bending element52, enables the latter to freely displace upwardly that portion of the blank between the side bars, which forms the long lip or end hook, with; out strain or bulging of the metal at the points where it remains integral with the side bars, thus avoiding weakening at those points such as would result from incipient cracks caused by abrupt bending or straining of the metal, and also facilitating the latter bending and forming of the end hook. The longer section of metal of the central portion or long narrow lip of the link is subjected to a simple bending operation in the desired direction only, and only the amount of bending of this section is done which is actually necessary to shape it as desired, as the metal of the central portion of a link blank is being severed transversely, the free end of the longer section is simultaneously rolled or crimped for its subsequent bending, thus obviating the necessity of other die parts than the transverse severing and crimping elements 45 and 46 for effecting the essential crimpingof the free end. of the long section of the central portion of the link.

The diverging nature of the lines of score for the side bars at their rear ends, is for the purpose of affording suflicient clearance at these points between the side bars of, a formed link to facilitate the ready forming of the long narrowlip of the largeend bar about the small end bar of the preceding many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, with.- out departing from the spirit and scopeof the claims. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to bein any sense limiting.

This application is a division of my application filed on the 12th day of May, 1908, Serial, Number 432,502.

What I claim is:

1. The process of making a drive chain of sheet metal, said link having side bars, a, relatively small end bar and a relatively large end bar or end hook, consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score, transversely severing said central portion adj acent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side bars and bending them away from each other; then crimping the free'end of the shorter center section, crimpthrowing around the free ,end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form and at the-same time throwing stillfarther around the, free end of the longer center section; and then rolling up the freeends'of' 2 end bar, transversely severing the metal of the blank between the said lines of score and tearing'the free ends of the central portion from the side bars and bending the narrow lip for the small end bar away from the freeend of the said narrow lip for the large end bar; then crimping the narrow lip for the small end bar, throwing around the narrow lip for the large 'end bar, and

crimping the Wide lip for the large end bar; then crimping the wide lip for the small end bar and at the same time throwing around the narrow lip for the small'end bar, shapmg the wide lip for the large end bar into substantially final form and at the same time throwing around the narrow lip for the large end bar; and then rolling up both narrow lips of the end bars into final shape. 3. The process of transforming a strip of metal into a series of connected drive chain links, consisting in the following progressive steps of formation for each link, between each of which steps the metal strip is fed forward; first, scoring the metal: stri to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneouslycrimping' the center portion of the link blank between said lines of score, transversely severing said center portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the sections of said center portion thus formed from the sidebars and bending them away from each other; then crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of the longer section; then crimping the rear end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of the smaller center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form and at the same time throwing still farther around the freeend of the longer center section, and then commencing to roll up the larger center section, severing the partly formed link from the strip of metal and shaping the ends of both of said center sections into final shape, the larger section about the small end-bar of the next preceding link in the series. a

4. The process of making sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in first scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link prior to the performing of any shaping operation on'said blank; then transversely severing the center portion of the link blank between saidlines of score and tearing the said sections of said central portion thus formed from the side bars and commencing theformation of the end bars by bending said center sections away from each other, and thereafter shaping the smaller center section and the metal at the end of the link to which it is attached to form a' small end bar, and the longer center section and the metal of the end of the link to which it is attached to form a large end bar. o

'5. The process of .maln'ng sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank,

consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score; transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections ofthe center portion thus formed from the said side barsand bending them away from each other; then crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form, at the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer center section vand severing the metal blank; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

6. The process of majkingsheet metal chain.

links having-end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consistingin the following steps; .first, scoring" the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score; transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the/center portion thus formed from the said side bars and bending them away from each other; then crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank, throwing around thefree end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form andat the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

7. The process of making sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define. the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score; transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearingthe two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side bars and bending them away from each other; then crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank, throwing around the free end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form, at the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer center section and severing the metal blank and then rolling up the free ends of both center sectionsinto final shape.

8.- The process of making sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score, transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side barsand bending them away from each other; then crimping the front end of the link blank and throw- -ing around the free end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into'final form and at the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer-center section; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

9. The process of making. sheet metal I chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in the followingsteps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central 60 portion of the blank between said lines of score, transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side bars and bending 6 one of them away from the other; then the longer center I crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small centersection, shaping the front end of the link blank intofinal form and at the same time throwing still farther, around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

10. The process of making sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the sidebars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between saidlines of score,

transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side bars and bending them away from each other; then crimping the front end of the link blank, throwing around the free end of the longer center section and scoring the blank transversely; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form and at the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

11. The process of making sheet metal chain links having end bars struck from the metal at the center of each link blank, consisting in the following steps: first, scoring the metal blank to define the inner edges of the side bars of the link; then substantially simultaneously crimping the central portion of the blank between said lines of score, transversely severing said central portion adjacent to said crimping, tearing the two sections of the center portion thus formed from the said side bars and'bending them away from each other; then crimping the free end of the shorter center section, crimpthrowing around the free end of the longer 'centersection; thencrimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of the small center section, shaping the front end of the link blank into final form and at the same time throwing still farther around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling up the free ends of both center sections into final shape.

12. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal strip to define the inner edges of the side bars, then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping the central severed portions of the metal in opposheet metal which consists in scoring the.

metal strip to define the inner edges of the side .bars, then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping the central severed portions of the metal in op-- posite directions, and then" forming the central portions'into end bars and severing the strip of metal into links during the formation of the end bars with the end bar formed from one section encircling the end bar formed from the other section of thenext preceding link.

.14. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal strip to define. the inner edges of the side bars, then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping the central severed portions of the metal in opposite directions, then partially forming the central portions thus formed into end bars, and scoring the strip of metal transversely, then completely bending the central portions into end bars, of metal into links.

15. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the sidebars; then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping the central severed portions of the metal thus 1 formed in opposite directions; then crimping the 'free end 'of the shorter center section, crimping the front end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling the center sections into end bars and severing the strips of metal into links during the formation of the end bars.

16'. The process of making chain "links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal strip to define the inner edges of the side bars; then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping or bending the central severed portions of the metal in opposite directions; then crimping the free end of the shorter section, crimping the front end of the link blank and throwing around the free end of the longer center section; then crimping the rear end of the blank and throwing around the free end of shaping the front end of the link blank into final form; and

then forming the center sections into end bars and severing the strip of metal into links during the formation of the end bars. 17. The process of making chain links and severing the strip from sheet metal which consists in scoring a metal strip to define the inner edges of the side. bars then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score and substantially simultaneously crimping the severed center sections of the metal thus formed in opposite directions; then crimping the front and rear ends of the link blank and throwing -around the free end of the longer center section; and then rolling the center sections into end bars and severing the link from the strip of metal.

18. The process of making chain from sheet -metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the side bars; then transversely severing the blank between the two lines of score and separating the center sections thus formed ,from the side bars; and then shaping the severed center sections into end bars atthe ends of. the link to which they are respectively attached with one center section about the other center 'section'of the precedin link.

19. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the side bars, then transversely severingthe blank between the two lines of score, tearin(gthe center sections thus formed from the si e bars and bending one of the center sections away from the other section; and then shaping the severed center sections into end bars at the ends of the link to which they are respectively attached.

20. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the side bars; then transversely severing the blank between the two lines of score, tearing the center sections thus formed from the side bars; and then shaping the severed center sections into end bars at the ends of the link to which they are respectively attached.

21. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring a metal strip to define the inner edges of the side bars, then transversely severing the strip between the two lines of score, and separating the center sections of the metal thus formed from the side bars and then shaping the center sections into end bars at the ends of the link to which they are respectively attached and" severing the strip of metal into links during the formation of the end bars.'

22. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in separating from the blank the central portion thereof, and severing said central portion transversely to form center sections; then crimping the link blank to form the link ends; and then rolling or bendingthe center sections into end bars at the ends of the link blank to which they agattachedr 23."The process of making chain links which consists in scoring the metal to define the edges of the side bars, then transversely severing the central portion of the metal between the lines of score and sepa rating the center sections thus formed from the side bars prior to bending the blank ends, and then rolling or bending the center sections into end bars at the ends of the blanks to which they are attached.

25. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the side bars; then transversely scoring the central portion of the metal between the lines. of score and separating the center sections thus formed from the side bars; then crimping the wide adjacent ends of the links into final shape and rolling one of the center sections into an end bar; and finally rolling the other center section into an end bar.

26." The process of making chain links which consists in scoring the metal to define.

the edges of the side bars, then transversely severing the centraliportion the metal b'etween the lines of score and separating the center sections thus formed from the side bars prior to bending the blank ends, then v crimping or bending the ends of the blanks and displacing the center sections; and

then rolling or bending the center sections into end bars at the ends of the blanks to which they are attached.

27. The process of making chain links from sheet metal which consists in scoring the metal to define the inner edges of the side bars; then transversely scoring the central portion of the metal between the lines of score and separating the center sections thus formed from the side bars, then crimping the wide adjacent ends of the links into final shape; then scoring the metal between the crimped ends of the links and rolling one of'the center sections into an end bar; and finally rolling the other center section into an end bar.

.28. A sheet metal drive chain link formed from a stripoi' metal, said link having side bars defined by lon itudinal lines of score, a relatively small end bar or pintle and a relatively large sprocket bar or end hook struck from the metal of the blank between said longitudinal lines of score, the metal in thehook portion between said side bars being unextended or unstretched.

29. A sheet metal drive chain link formed from a strip of metal, said link having side bars defined by longitudinal lines of score,

' ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

- HERMAN OSSWALD. Witnesses:

J. B. SINGER,

W. J. HART.

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