US970242A - Open-link chain. - Google Patents

Description

G. L. LAMB.

OPEN LINK CHAIN.

APPLIOATION FILED 0015, 1909.

Patented Sept. 13,1910.

n: co-. WASHINGTON. 0. c.

GEORGE L. LAMB, OF NAPPANEE, INDIANA.

OPEN-LINK CHAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 5, 1909.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 521,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. LAMB, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Nappanee, county of Elkhart, in the State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Open-Link Chains, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to open-link chains for suspending purposes in those light fixtures known as electric and gas domes, such chains being in common so constructed as to inclose within the chain and lengthwise thereof electric conductors or a pipe or tube for gas, as well as to provide for making the chain of the exact length required for a given location by the use of a greater or less number of successively attachable open links.

The present invention consists in certain novel combinations of parts, in an open link of novel construction, and in an improved open-link chain embodying such combinations or such links or any of them, as hereinafter described and claimed.

The leading objects of this invention are to render the open links permanently open so as to facilitate attaching or detachin links as required, and to render the open enc of each open link securely fastened when the chain is under tension in use without extraneous means and without the aid of tools.

Other objects will be set forth in the gen eral description which follows.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views respectlvely of the top link and an open link of the improved chain; Fig. 3 represents a longitudinal section through the upper portion of the chain as it appears in use; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line A-A, Fig. 3; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are small scale views illustrating the manner of attaching the open links.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The improved open-link chain is composed of a top link, a (Fig. 1) and any required number of open links, 5 (Fig. 2); said open links being preferably and conveniently of one and the same construction and pattern.

A central passage for the electric conductors, 0, Figs. 3 and 4, or for a pipe or tube for gas, is common to the series of links, and two portions thereof, 1 and 2, are formed in the respective ends of the top link a. Such conductors, pipes, or tubes do not, however, interact with the links as fastening means, but are loosely inclosed within the chain at all points.

The upper end of said top link a is provided with one member, 3, of a hook and clevis suspending device, or its equivalent, through the shank of which the upper portion, 1, of said central assage extends; and the lower end of the link is provided with said portion 2 of the central passage in the form of a round hole having diametrically opposite notches, 4, in line with the opening throu h the body of the link.

Eaai of the open links b has the slit, 5, by which the link is rendered open in its upper end; a substantially round hole, 2, constructed and arranged to aline with said hole 2 in the bottom of the top link a or any adjoining link, is crossed by said slit 5; and a pair of downturned lugs, 4, constructed and arranged to enter and interact with said notches 4 in'the bottom of the top link or of any adjoining link, are formed within the respective parts of said hole 2. See Fig. 2.

The lower end of each of the open links I) is or may be identical with the lower end of the top link a, having a central hole 2 provided with diametrically opposite notches 4 in line with the opening through the body of the link.

The sides, 6, of all the links may be and preferably are flat or substantially flat and parallel with each other.

The body of the top link a and the open links I) in common may be formed from fiat metal or thin bars by punching and bending operations, and said lugs 4 may be formed by means of portions of the metal out from within the holes 2'.

The suspension member 3 may be cast fast on the upper end of the top link a; and the lower end of the bottom link (not shown) may be provided with a like suspension member, or attached to the suspended object in any known or improved way.

When the links are assembled and the chain is in use in Figs.3 and 4:, the links I) are self-attached to the top link a and to each other, and the conductors c or their equivalent extend lengthwise therethrongh. If desired the lugs 4 may be clenched so as to prevent the separation of the links, but with the chain in tension, as in use, the open end of each open link is securely fastened by the interaction of said lugs 4 with the notches 4 of the adjoining link without clenching the lugs.

In assembling the links to form a chain it is only necessary to engage the open end of one of the open links I) with one of the flat sides 6 of the top link a or any adjoining link, as shown in Fig. 5 and in full lines in Fig. 6, moving the open link 6 endwise, for example, as represented by the arrow. a, until the open end clears the interacting sides 6, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 5; and then to turn .theopen link Z2, .as represented by the arrows b and '0, first into the position in which it is shown in. dotted lines in Fig. 6 and full lines in Fig. 7 and then .into line with the superjaoent link or links, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 7.

The shape :and proportions of the several links a and b may be varied, so long as the construction above described is not interfered with; the sides 6 of all the links may be ornamented if desired, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my inventionand desire to patent under this specification:

1. The combination, in an open link chain,

of a link having in a closed end thereof a passage-forming hole provided with .diametrically opposite notches in line with the, opening through the body of the link, and an adjoining link having an, open end provided with a passage-forming hole crossed by the slit of the link and with lugs at the sides of this hole formed and arrangedto enter and interact with said notches as means for rendering said open end fastened when the chain is under tension.

2. An open link for chains havinga closed end, a hole in said closed end provided with diametrically opposite notches in line with the opening through the body of the link, a

assage-forming hole in its open end crossed by the slit of the link and a pair of lugs at the sides of this hole formed and arranged to enter and interact with such notches in the closed end of an adjoining link.

3. An open link chain having, in combination, a top link constructed with one member of a hook and clevis suspension device at its upper end, a passage-forming hole within the shank of said suspension device and a closed lower end having therein a passageforming hole provided with diametrically opposite notches in line with the opening .through the body of the link and subjacent open links attachable to said top link and to each other in succession and each constructed with a passage-forming hole in its upper end crossed by the slit of the link and a pair of clown-turned lugs at the sides of this hole constructed .and arranged to enter and interact with said notches of the passageforming hole in the bottom of said top member and with the notches of like passage-forming holes in the lower ends of the open links adjoining the same respectively,

substantially as hereinbefore specified.

GEORGE L. LAMB. Witnesses P. A. EARLY, OLLIE HEPLER.

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