US1050061A - Coupling-link for antiskid-chains. - Google Patents

Description

E. s. HOLMES, JR.

COUPLING LINK FOR ANTISKID CHAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.11, 1912.

5 1 Patented Jan 7, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATEN @FFIE.

EDWIN S. HOLMES, JR., OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO RANDOLPH T. WARWICK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7,1913.

Application filed March 11, 1912. Serial No. 682,865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known "that I, EDWIN S. HOLMES, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented anew and useful Coupling Link for Antiskid-Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in anti-skid chains for automobile wheels, and to that particular class thereof employing opposite endless chains connected at intervals by short cross-chains.

Such anti-skid chains as I have mentioned are well-known for their efficiency, but one of the objections to their use has been the labor involved in replacing the short crosschains. when worn through. To meet this contingency, it has been the practice to remove the worn links of the cross-chains by the use of a cold-chisel and substitute for those links thus removed new links made split or open and which were pounded closed to the accompaniment of great waste of labor and time. Another mode has been to purchase new. cross-chains, removing the old cross-chain entirely, but this was accompanied by considerable labor and waste of time and also the necessity of employing a special tool for opening and subsequently closing the connections usually employed between the ends of the cross-chains and the side or circumferential chains.

The objects of my invention are to avoid these objections and provide a simple conv necting device to be used between the ends of the cross-chains and the opposite circumferential chains, said device being so constructed as to be capable of being connected to both the ends of the cross-chains and,the opposite circumferential chains by hand and without the employment of any special tool for the purpose and as readily disconnected when desired; and furthermore to so construct the device as to render it capable of being readily connected and disconnected to and from the ends of the short cross-chains, whereby the user may be enabled to purchase the cross-chain in long lengths, cut off the lengths desired and connect thereto the connecting device hereinafter described.

Qther objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features of the inventlon will be particularly pointedout in the claims.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a view in plan of one of my improved crosschains, the same being shown in connection with so much of the two opposite circumferential chains as is necessary to show the applicability of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my improved connecting device; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same; Figs. 4- and 5 are side and front elevations respectively of the connecting device illus* trating a slight modification.

Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures of the\ drawmg.

5 designates the opposite or circumferential chains commonly employed in this type of anti-skid chains, and 6 the short cross-chain, replications of the latter being located at intervals, as usual.

The cross-chain 6 comprehends a series of links 7, the number composing the same corresponding with the diameter ofthe tire upon which the chain is intended for use. The end link of each cross-chain, may, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned, be provided near its outer end with a flattened portion 8.

1O designates my improved device for connecting the ends of the cross-chains to the opposite or circumferential chains. Heretofore, as at present, this device is of a general U-shape. Formerly, however, the

' terminals of the device have been turned together to form hooks located atone and the same side. In the present instance, however, the terminals are disposed in opposite directions and bends formed to produce opposing hooks 12', designed to engage, in a manner hereinafter apparent, the adjacent links of the opposite or circumferential chains 5. In forming the hooks 12, the stock is brought to within a short distance of the shank or body of the hook and thence deflected, thus forming a throat or entrance 15 to the hook and a deflected end 20. The throat 15, it will be understood, is approximately the size of the bars of the links composlng the circumferential chains, or, better, slightly less, so that the said bars must be forced, so to speak, through the throats of the hooks. The outer or hook-ends of the connecting devices 10 are also preferably flared slightly, as at 22, to facilitate the en tering of the links of the circumferential chains and the end links of the cross-chains.

Back of the hooks 12 the terminals of the connecting devices are of a width apart amply suficient to receive and permit of the passage of the end links of the cross-chains, but this space is preferably made tortuous to prevent an accidental disconnection of these parts. In order to accomplish this, I may flatten the said terminals, as at 25, so as to nearly close this entrance, but preferably arrange the flattened portions out of transverse alinement, as' shown, making the passage tortuous. Of course, if the flattened portions are in transverse alinement,

'the links forming the cross-chains would have to be forced between these points. I prefer, however, to so arrange the flattened portions as to simply reduce the intervening space somewhat, so that the links at the ends of the cross-chains may be passed therebetween by a very slight exertion. To facilitate this too, the flattened portions 8,

heretofore mentioned, may be provided, but

these latter flattened portions are more for the purpose of permitting a connection and disconnection, with the hooks 12. As a general rule the throats 15 of the latter are narrower than the space between the terminals of the connecting device, for that the bars forming the links of the circumferential chains are smaller than those of the links of the cross-chains. By thus reducing the end links of the cross-chains, this difference is compensated for. Practically the same result may be accomplished by kinking the terminals of the connecting devices, as at 30, in Figs. 4 and 5 of the'drawing.

The simple connecting device I have described may be used in a variety of ways, or rather, applications. It may be manufactured and sold separately, the user buying and cutting into lengths cross-chains to which the connecting device may be applied; or, again, it may be manufactured and sold connected to cross-chains already cut'into suitable lengths, all as preferred.

However this ma be, the operation of ap-.

the flared throat 22 between the terminals and to a point below the terminals of the hooks, after which a quarter turn is given either the link or the connecting device so as to bring the bar of the link opposite the throats 15 of the connecting device, and pass the bar through the throats into the hooks. A reverse operationdisconnects the two.

Having described my. invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A coupling for connecting the crosschains to the side chains of an anti-skid device for automobile wheels, comprising a length of wire formed into aloop having substantially parallel members the terminal portions of which are bent to form oppositely disposed hooks with outwardly flaring bills, and the members of the loop having inwardly projecting portions below the hooks and out of transverse alinement to.

of the loop, one member of the. loop having a hump at the inner side thereof on a plane with the bills of the hooks and the companion member of the loop having a similar hump adjoining the aforesaid hump toward the connecting portion of theloop, forming a tortuous passage between the members of the loop, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWIN s. HOLMES, R.

Witnesses:

' W. S. DUVALL,

H. S. BEALL.

Images