Apparatus for the production of ornamental chains of the type known as "peacock eye"

Apparatus for the production of an ornamental chain of the type known as "peacock eye" in the gold-smithery and jewelry industries, the said chain being formed by a sequence of pairs of links, of the twisted type, each pair comprising one large and one small link, which are concentric, the large link engaging the large and small links forming the preceding pair and subsequent pair, the said apparatus comprising

• a production unit for the large links including at least one feed assembly for a material in wire form and for the formation of a spiral therefrom, an assembly for cutting the individual loops of the said spiral after each of its revolutions through 360.degree., and means for forming links from the said loops;
• means for providing the small links, comprising at least one pincer for feeding the latter to the said production unit for the large links, capable of engaging a small link for each loop of the said spiral;
• means for pulling the said chain towards a collecting unit operating above the said production unit for the large links, in an intermittent manner at the end of the phase of concatenation and formation of each large link, capable of keeping an end length of chain suspended along an axis perpendicular to that of the said spiral;
• means for imparting at least to the said end length of chain an alternating movement along the said axis from an initial position, in which the said pulling means are operational, including a phase of approaching the said spiral, until the last pair of links already formed are brought into alignment with the free end of the spiral, a phase of approaching the said means for forming the link after the concatenation of the appropriate loop of the spiral, and a phase of return towards the said initial position, between the first two phases, during the concatenation of the loop to the said last pair of links already formed, a further alternating movement along the said axis being provided, which takes place in the arc of a complete rotation of the said spiral.