US1256898A - Link-stacking device. - Google Patents

Description

H. E. HAYwA-RD. UNK STACKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FlLED APR. 24 1918.

,2,9 vPatented Feb. 19 8.V

` l SHEETS -SHEE gnam H. E. HAYWARD.

LINK STACKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. 1916.

Lg. Peteeeee Feb.19,1918.,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. E. HAYWARD. LINK sTAcKING nsvmf.

APPLICATIUN HLED APH. 24, |916.

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HJE, HAYWARD.

LINK STACKING'DEVICE.

AFPLxcMlon FILED APR. 24. me.

L25698. Patented Feb. 19,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET '4.

WTIVESSES: VENTUR sare arnr orten HENRY E. I-IAYWARD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA., ASSIGNQR TO LINK-BELT COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LINK-STACKING DEVICE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led April 24, 1916. Serial'No. 93,321.

To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY E. HAYwARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Link-Stacking Device, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture oi silent chains, it is necessary that the links be operated on individually a number of times, in order to produce the linished chain. Heretofore, it has been necessary in practice toV place the individual links in position by hand, for each operation, involving great labor and expense, as the links are manufactured and' handled by the million.

The present invention is one of a series, having the ultimate object of automatically bringing the links into positionto be operated on; and has for its particular object the transferring of a series of links from an end-to-end arrangement with their points all in the same direction to a side-by-side arrangement` so that the points and the pitch holes or pivot pin holes in all the links register, and placing the links in this latter position on a conveyer which will carry them in such position and arrangement to the desired place.

The mechanism for bringing the links from a haphazard mass to an end-toend arrangement with the points all point-ing in the'same direction forms, per se, the subject-matter of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 93,320, of even tiling date herewith; and the conveyer or slide rail on to which the links are placed by my present invention forms, per se, the subject-matter of a copending application oic Frank J. Oakes, Ser. No. 93,326, of even filing date herewith. My present invention relates to the intermediate mechanism, and to the combination 'thereof with tie initial positioning mocht: nism and the conveyor or slide rail. The links may be fed in the initial end-to-end arrangement referred to to certain machines tor treating the links, usually individually; or may and usually are fed in such arrangement to a device such as that forming part of the present application or that forming the subject-matter of the (3o-pending application of Owen H. Spencer Ser. No. 93,322, 'also of even iiling date herewith, by which this initial link arrangement, with the'links irranged all in the same position end to end, is transformed to a second arrangement or stack or links, with the links arranged side by side with their points registering. ll`his second arrangement or stack is found to be a most convenient and suitable one tor transporting the links from one place to another, as on the slide ail shown in the Oakes application above referred to, and for handling the links in other machines which may operate on them, either individually, or in the assembling orf the complete chain, as for instance those shown in the cfu-pending applications of Frank J. Oakes and Owen H. Spencer, Ser. Nos. 93,324 and 93.325, also of even filing date herewith. rlhe various inventions covered by these several applications may be used together in the different arrange ments in the manufacture of silent chains. It has been iound that the initial arrangement of the links in an end-to-end relationship with the links all in the same position and their points all toward the same side is probably the most'convenient and cihcientl starting point for getting the links into the second arrangement, or stack, with the links side by side with their points and crotchcs all registering; and that this second arrangement or stack is probably the most convenient and efficient arrangement Y Jfor the handling of the links throughout the subsequent operations on them and in the assembling oi' the chain.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. Figure l is a general perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention, showing the combination, with my positioning means arranged at an intermediate point between the initial positioning device set forth in'my aforesaid co-pending application and the conveyer or slide rail set forth in the aforesaidl co-pending Oakes application; Fig. 2 is a side elevation in partial section of mv positioning device, showing the vertically movable link carriage raised; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, showing such vertically movable link carriage lowered; Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a detail of the mechanism for raising and lowering the link carriage, and is a section on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of my positioning device, with some parts broken away or in sec tion, and the vertically movable link carriage raised; Fig. 6 isa section on the line 64-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5, lwith less broken away and with the vertically movable link carriage lowered; and'Fig. 8 1s a vperspective view of the vertically movable link carriage.

nally of the base 10 and set at right angles thereto so as to form troughs, each group comprising two outer strips 11 and an intermediate strip 12 which forms with the two outer strips troughs of sufficient width to receive a silent chain link 13 edgewise', the strips 12 terminating short of the upper end of the base 10, and the strips 11 being suiiiciently wide apart at such upper end so as to receive between them a Vlink lyingflatwise on the bottom ofthe trough with its points toward one side or the other of the trough, but so narrow that it is necessary that the points be toward one side or the other. These wider troughs at the upper end of the base 10 abut against one another, so as to form single ridges between them,

and the upper ends of these troughs are within a flaring-sided hopper 14 which directs into the upper ends of the troughs links thrown into the hopper in a haphazard mass. As the links slide down the troughs, they are tilted to an upright position with the points upward on one si'de or the other of the intermediate strips 12Yby plow points which are providedv at the upper end of suchY intermediate strips` so that in the lower part of the troughs Vformed by the strips 11 and 12 the links in all the troughs have their points upward, and the links in each trough are arranged end-to-end without overlapping. I Y

The conveyer or slide rail, set forth in detail in the aforesaid co-pending Oakes application. Vis of a general inverted T-shaped cross section having an upright 2O and a b ase 21 projecting on either side of the uprlght, the upright 20 being of such height .that when a link 13 is placed astride it with its points downward the points are very close to the base 21 but cannot bothl touch such base at the same time. The links will slide along thisconveyer or slide rail in an upright Veo position, and only in rare instances fall oii; i

of the present invention. rlhisV comprises a head 30 in which are a number of arc-shaped grooves orV chutes 31. lThese grooves orV chutes 31 are of different radius; at their yupper ends they register with and are tangent to thel lower ends of the respective troughs formed by the strips 11 and 12 at their lower' ends they come substantially tangent to the horizontal, and discharge just above the upper edge of the upright 20 of the slide rail, which upright is Ycontinued obliquely across the front face of the headV 80. For convenience in manufacture, the

head 30 is built up of a number of alternate Y wide plates 32 and narrow plates 33, vheld together by one or more bolts, the wideplates 32 having the grooves 31 machined in their lateral faces so thatv with the flat narrow plates 33 the grooves or chutes are com- Y only extends to the. head 80 land not across its front face, thus stopping short of the end of the upright 20; and at its upper end Y the base 21 is carried by a bent finger 22 pr0- jecting from the lower face of the head 30.

Slidably mounted on the front face of the head 30 is a vertically sliding plate 34,q provided witha vertical guide slot 85 which cosperates with a screw 36 fixed in such front '.ace. spaced therefrom by spacing blocks 38; the plate (37 at one end-the left in Fig. 5 being bent so as to bear against that end of the head 30 opposite the one from which the slide rail -20-21 projects and thus to serve as a guide. Fixed to the lower edge of the plate 37 is a vertically movable link carriage 39, which is shown in detail in Fig. `8. This link carriage 1s provided with a longitudinal slot 40 opening upward, and having a sliding lit on the upright 20 of the slide rail beyond the end of the base 21.` The link carriage 39, the plate 37, and the lower the link carriage 39 is provided with a horizontal slot 41, which receives an eccentric pin 42 carried by a disk 43' countersunk in the front face of the head 80 and fixed on the end of an operating shaft 44; so that by the rotation of the shaft 44 the link carriage 39, the plate 37, and the plate 34 are alternately raised a-nd lowered along the front face of the head 30. Vhen the link .carriage 39 is raised, the oblique upper edges of its two arms 45 and 46 are at least as high A plate 37 is fixed to the plate 34 but as theiupper edgel of the upright 2O and substantially in line with the outer or lower surface of the lower ends of the arc-shaped grooves 3l, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5;

and when the link carriage 39 is lowered, the

i upper edges of its two 'arms 45 and 46 are Y substantially in alinement with the upper surfaces of the two sides of the base 21 of the slide rail, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. T he upper edge of the arm 45 is smooth,1 but is slightly concave so that at the slot 40 it is higher than the arm 46, and at the front face of the head 30 it comes flush with the outer or lower surface of the grooves 31 when the link carriage 39 is raised; so that a point of a link discharged from a groove or chute 31 on to the link carriage will not fall into the slot 40 but will be carried over such slot on to the upper edge of the arm 46. The upper edge of the arm 46, however, is transversely serrated, as clear from Fig. 8, so as to prevent premature sliding of the link points along it. The plates 33 have projecting 'tongues 47 at the lower ends of thegroove 31, which tongues extend nearly across the link carriage 39, as clear from Figs. 2, 3, and 6; and short tongues 48 are set in the sides of the grooves 31 and similarly project part way across the link carriage 39, as clear from Figs. 4 and 6. r1`hese tongues 47 and 48 hold the links upright on the link carriage 39 when the latter is raised. as clear from Fig. 2; but the links pass out of engagement with these tongues when the link carriage is lowered, as clear from Fig. 3. The lower edge of the plate 34 is provided with slots 49 which register with the tongues 47 and 48, so asto allow the vertical movement of such plate 34 past such tongues., When the link carriage 39 and plate 34 are raised, the lower edge of the plate 34 is substantially flush with the inner or ,upper surface of the lower ends of the grooves 31, so as to uncover the lower ends of such grooves, as clear from Figs. 2 and 5; but when the link carriage 39 and plate 34 are lowered, the plate 34 extends down past 'the lower ends of the groove 31 and closes such lower ends to retain the links in the grooves, as clear from Figs. 3 and 7.

In operation, links are ydropped haphazard into the hopper 14, falling into the broad ends of the troughs formed by the strips v11, are slid down such troughs. by gravity if the troughs are inclined, until they strike the plow points at the upper ends of the strips 12, are tilted by such plow points to bring the link points upward, and slide along the troughs formed by the strips 11 and 12 to the ends of such troughs, the links being positioned edgewise in these troughs with their points upward and the troughs being so narrow that the links can only be in this position and cannot overlap. The feeding of links into the hopper 14 is sufliciently rapid so as to maintain at all times ascries of links arranged end-to-end with their points upward in each of the troughs formed by the strips 11 and 12.

The links from the troughs formed by the strips 11 and 12 slide into the arc-shaped grooves or chutes 31, which register with such troughs, and as they slide along such arc-shaped grooves they are inverted in position seas to bring their points downward, as clear from Figs. 2 and 3. Assume that the link carriage 39 and the plate 34 are in their lower positions, as shown in Fig. 3. The links pile up, end to end, in the grooves or chutes 31, which like the troughs 11-12 are of the proper size to receive the links edgewise and prevent them from overlapping. They are retained in the grooves or chutes 31 by the plate 34. By rotating the shaft 44, the eccentric pin 41 thereon raises the link carriage 39 and plate 34 from the lower position shown in Fig. 3 to the upper position shown in Fig.l 2, so that the plate 34 uncovers the lower ends of the slots 31. 1mmedi ately on such uncovering, a link is forced out of the lower end of each groove or chute 31, by the weight of the links behind it, on,to the link carriage 39, the concave upper edge of the arm 45 throwing the forward point of such link across the slot 40 on to the serrated upper edge of the arm 46, the serrations of which, coperating with the tongues 47 and 48, hold the links upright. The links in this position are shown in Figs. 2 and 5. T he crotches of the link thus forced out are now directly over the upright 2O of the slide rail. The plate 37 prevents the links which are forced out of the grooves or chutes 31 from being forced too far, and permits the forcing out of hut a single link from each such groove. As the rotation of the shaft 44 continues, the eccentric pin 41 now carries the link carriage 39 and plate 34 downward, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. T he plate 34 thus descends to cut off further egress of links from the grooves 31, and the links which were forced out when the link carriage was raised are dropped on to and astride of the upright 2O of the slide rail. The dropping of the link carriage 39 and the links thereon clears such links from the Y tongues 47 and 48, and the dropping is sutlicient so that the link points are also cleared from the upper faces of the arms 45 and 46 of the link carriage. ln consequence, the links now slide along the upright 20 by reason of the slantthereof, and pass from over the link carriage 39 to the complete slide rail including the upright 20 and the base 21. lThe links are carried along` this slide rail to any desired place, or are allowed to pile up on such slide rail as desired.

rlhe foregoing operation is repeated as the shaft 44 continues to rotate to raise and lower the link carriage 39, links being forced out from the grooves or chutes 31 on to the link carriage when the latter reaches its uppermost position and being allowed to slide means and placing them astride said slide rail with their crotches in alinement.

2. Iii-combination, means for bringing a liaphazai'd mass of ci'otched chain links into a definite plane in an eiid-to-end arrangement with their crotches all to `one side, a slide rail, and means reciprocating transverselyof said slide rail and adapted alternately to receive links from said first meansV and to place said links astride said slide rail with their crotches in alinemeiit. y

' 3. In combination, means for delivering silent chain links iii an cnd-to-end arrangement with their points all upward, a slide rail, and means for receiving links from said first means and inverting said links and depositing them in a side-by-side arrangement on said slide rail with their points downward.

t. In combination, means for delivering silent chain links in an end-to-'end arrangement with theirpoiiits all upward, a slide rail, and means reciprocating transversely ot said slide rail and adapted alternately to receive links from said first means and to place said links astride said slide iail with their points downward. i

5. In combination, 'means `t'or delivering crotched chain links in an end-to-end arrangement with their crotches all to one side, a coiiveyer adapted to support the links in a side-by -side arrangement with their crotches iii alinement, and means for receiving the links from said first means in said eiid-to-end arrangement and placing them on said conveyor' in said side-by-side arrangement. y

V6. In combination, means for delivering crotched chain links in an end-to-end arrangement with their crotches all to onel side, a conveyer adapted to support the links in a side-byside arrangement Vwith their crotches in alinement, and means reciprocating transversely ot said conveyer and adapt- -ed alternately to receive links from said first means and to place said links on said conveyer insaid side-by-side arrangement.

7. In combination, a slide rail adapted to reci-ive crotched chain links astrido it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides ot said slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of said parts are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link resting thereon touches the slide rail, a link chute discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail and witlitheir crotches down-ward, and means for permitting discharge'ot said links from said chute onto said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing such discharge at other times. Y

8. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive crotclied chain links astride it, a ve'rtically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of said slide railV respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of said parts are `as high as the top of the slide rail andy a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch. of a link resting thereon touches the slide rail, a link chute discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail and with their crotches downward, means for permitting discharge ot said links from said chute on to said carf riage when the latter is elevated kand for preventing such discharge at other times, and means preventing more than one link at a timerfroin being discharged trom said chute. Y

9. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive crotched chain links asti-ide it, a. vertically moving link cariiage having vtwo parts on the two sides of said slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends ot said parts are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link resting thereon touches thex slide rail, a link chute discharging links on tosaid link carriage transversely to said slide rail and with their crotclies downward, and means for permitting discharge oit' said links from said chute on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing such discharge at other times, said chute being of such dimensions that it receives links end-to-endv but prevents them from overlapping.

l0. In combination, a slide rail adapted to i points downward, means for permitting discharge ot' said links from said'chute on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and l:t'or preventing such discharge at other times, said chuteV being of such dimensions 'that it receives links end-to-end but prevents them from overlapping and being curved sothat at its lower end it. discharges links on to said carriage with their points downward and at its upper end it receives links .with their points upward, and means for feeding links into the upper end of said chute with the link points upward.

11. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive silent chain links astride it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of said slide rail. respectively and moving bet veen a position where the upper ends ot' said parts are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link having its two poi-nts resting there* on touches the slide rail, a link chiite discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail and with their points downward, and means tor permitting` dic'- charge of said links from said chuteon to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing such discharge at other times, said chute being curved so that at its lower end it discharges links on to said carriage with their points downward and at its upper end it receives links with their points upward. v

12. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive silent chain links astride it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of said slide rail respectively and moving between a po-sition where the upper ends of said parte are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such lupper ends are so low that the crotch of a link having its two points resting thereon touches the slide rail, arlink chute discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail and with their points downward, means for permitting discharge of said links from said chute on to y said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing such discharge at other times, said chute being curved so that at its lower end it discharges links on to said carriage with their points downward and at its upper end it receives linksv with their points upward, and means for feeding into the upper end of said chute links in an end-tofend arrangement with their points upward.

13. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive crotched chain links astride it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two'sides of the slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of saidy parts are as lhigh as the top of the slide rail and a-pos1- tion where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link resting thereon touches the slide rail, said slide rail and the. upper ends kof said link carriage parts being in-` clined correspondingly longitudinally of the slide rail, a plurality of link chutes discharging links on to said link carriage transv versely to saidslide rail at different points therealong with the crotehes of the links Vupper ends of said parts are as high as the downward, the discharge ends of said link chutes being arranged at different heights corresponding to the slant of said link carriage, and means for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for prevent# ing it at other times.

14. ln combination a slide rail adapted to receive crotched chain links astride it, a verl tically moving link carriage having `two parts on the two sides of .the slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of said parts are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link resting thereon touches the slide rail, a plurality of link chutes discharging links on to said link carriage transversely 'to said slide rail at different points therealong with the crotches of the links downward, and means for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and tor preventing it at other times.

15. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive silent chain links astride it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of the slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends areso low' tiat the crotch of a link having its two points resting thereon touches the slide rail, said slide rail and the upper ends of said link carriage parts being inclined correspondingly longitudinally of the slide rail, a plurality ot' link chutes discharging links Yon to said link carriage tinnsversely` to said slide rail Vat dit- .t'erent points therealong with the points ot 105 the links downward, the discharge ends of" said link chutes being arranged at dilie'rent heights corresponding to the slant ot said link carriage, and means for permitting discharge ot said links from saidy chutes on to 110 said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing it at other times, said chutes being curved so that at their lower ends they discharge links on to said carriage with the link points downward and at their upper ends they receive links with the link points upward. t

. 16. ln combination, a slide rail adapted to receive silent chain links astride it,'a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of the slide rail respectively and moving between ,a position where the upper ends ot said parts are as high as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch of a link having its two pointsA resting thereon touches the slide rail, a plurality of link chutes discharging links on to said link carriage transversely tosaid slide rail at dil.3v ferent points therealong with the points of vi3() the links downward, and means for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes on to said carriage'when the latter is elevated and for preventing it at other times, said chutes being curved so that at their lower ends they discharge links on to said carriage with the link points downward and at their upper ends they receive links Vwith the link points upward.

Y 17. ln combination, a slide vrail adapted lto receive silent chain links astride it, a vertically moving link carriage having two parts on the two sides of the slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of said Vparts are as hi'gh as the top of the slide rail and a position where such upper ends are so low that the crotch' of ailink having` its two points resting thereon touches the slide rail, said slide rail and the upper ends of said link carriage parts being inclined correspondingly longitudinally of the slidevrail` a plurality of link chutes discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail at different points therealong with the points of the links downward,rthe discharge ends of said link chutes being arrangedV at different heights corresponding to the slant of said link carriage, means for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing it at other times, said chutes being curved so that at their lower ends they discharge links on to said carriage with the link points downward andV at their upper ends they receive links with the link points upward, and means for Jfeeding links into the upper end of each of said chutes with Vthe linksfin an end-to-endl arrangement with their points upward. Y

18. ln combination, a slide rail adapted to Y receive silent chains astride it, a vvertically lmi moving link carriage having two parts .on the two sides of the slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends of said parts areas high as the top of the slide rail and a position'where such upper ends are s0 low that the crotch of alink having its two points resting thereon touches the slide rail, a plurality of link lchutes discharging links on to said link carriage transversely to said slide rail at different points therealong with the points of the links downward, means `for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes on to said carriage when the lattervis velevated and for preventing it at other times, said chutes being curved so .that at their .lower ends they discharge links on to said carriage with the link points downward and at their upper ends they receive links with the link points upward, and means for feeding links into the upperend of each of said chutes with the links in an end-to-end arrangement with their points' upward.

and the upper ends of said link carriagev parts being inclined correspondingly longitudinally of the slide rail, a plurality of link chutes discharging links on to said link carriage transversely'to said slide rail at dif- 'ferent points therealong with the points of the links downward, the discharge ends of said link chutes being arranged at different` `heights corresponding to the slant of said link carriage, means for permitting discharge of said links from said chutes -on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing it at other times,each of said link chutes being of such dimensions that it receives links end-'to-end but prevents them from overlapping and being curved so that at its lower end it discharges'links onto said carriage with their points downward and at its upper end it receives'links with their points upward, and means'for feeding links into the upper ends of said chutes with the link points upward,` the curvature of said chutes being diferent, so that their intake ends are in a substantially horizontal line and their discharge ends are inY an 20. In combination, a slide rail adapted to receive silent chain links astride it, a verti.

cally moving link carriage having two parts on the two'sides ofthe slide rail respectively and moving between a position where the upper ends-oi' said parts are as high as the top oi the slide `rail and a position where such upper ends are spo-low that the crotch heights corresponding to the slant of said link carriage. and means for permitting discharge ofvsaid links from said chute on to said carriage when the latter is elevated and for preventing it at other times, said chutes being curved so that at their lower ends they discharge links on to said carriage with the link points'downward-and at their upper ends they receive links'witli the link points upward, the curvature of said chutes being Y oblique line corresponding to the slant ofY i said slide rail.

passasse different, so that their intake ends are in a substantially horizontal line and their discharge ends are in an oblique line corresponding to the slant of said slide rail.

2l. In combination, means for delivering crotched links in an end-to-end arrangement with their crotches all to one side, a slide rail, and means for receiving the links in the end-to-end arrangement from said first means and placing them astride said slide rail with their crotches in alinement.

22. In combination, means for delivering crotched links in an end-to-end arrangement with their crotches all to one side, a slide rail, and means reciprocating transversely to said slide rail and adapted alternately to receive. links from said first means and to place said links astride said slide rail with their crotches in alinement.

23. In a device for handling crotched kmembers, a support for said members in end-to-end relationship, and a second support for the reception of said members in side-by-side relationship, said first support discharging links singly onto said seco-nd support.

In a device for rhandling' crotched members, a support for said members in end-to-end relationship, and a second support for the reception of said members in side-by-side relationship, said two supports being arranged in transverse planes and said first support discharging links singly onto said second support.

25. In a device for handling crotched members, a support for said members in end-to-end relationship, a second support for the reception of said members in sideby-side relationship, and discharge mechanism receiving links from said first support and depositing them on said second support.

26. In a device for handling crotched members, a support for said members in end-to-end relationship, and a second support for the reception of said members in side-by-side relationship, said second support being arranged transversely to the line of links on said first support, and said first support being cut away so as t0 discharge links 0n to said second support laterally of the line of links on the first support.

27. In a device for handling crotched members, a support for said members in end-to-end relationship, a second support for the reception of said members in sideby-side relationship, said second support being arranged transversely to the line of links on said first support, and discharge mechanism receiving links from said first support and discharging them on to said second support laterally of the line of links on the first support.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 21st day of April, A. D., one thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

HENRY E. HAYWARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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