Renold Cramp

[Tony B]

Anyone any ideas what these might be? The box is empty though.

[Spood]

A quick google shows that Renold are industrial chain and gear specialists. I see the word chain is on the box, this doesn't help tell you what a cramp is though does it. Guessing it could be a tool for holding chain while inserting false link possibly. That's as helpful as it gets sorry.

[snowtracdave]

Aren't / weren't Reynolds a well known manufacturer of chains - motorcycles I particularly remember but presumably other types of chain as well . Seen a vice for the shortening & re-joining of chain - might that be what was once in the box ?

[Richard Farrant]

This would be a chain cramp, for pulling the ends of a roller drive chain together in order to fit the connecting link. Must be a big one as the box says from 1.75" pitch.

[Tony B]

Thanks guys, it's a useful 'Period' wooden box, so I'm going to stick kit in it.

[N.O.S.]

Hey Tony, if you ever get the cramps, just lie down in it

[79x100]

Isn't 'cramp' just a more traditional (and correct ?) name for a clamp as in 'Sash cramps' ?

 

Googling 'Chain clamp' shows devices for clamping circular objects on a work table on the same principle as a chain wrench.

[Mark]

Renold Chain is still going used in many machinery albeit being overtaken by cheaper stuff nowadays, I would imagine that the word cramp is being used to describe a piece of kit we use for joining chains, it fits onto the rollers in the middle of the chain and you pull the chain up by winding a bolt or thumbscrew etc until you can get the connecting link in, they come in various sizes.

[Tony B]

Must have been a fair sized object then. The box is about two foot by one foot by one foot. Says it is for 1.75 to 4 inch chains.