Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) sausages.

1873

J. Mair Hbk of Phrases 109: Links, sausages.

2. (US) handcuffs.

1942

N. Algren Never Come Morning (1988) 283: ‘I got friends waitin’.’ [...] ‘Well, you don’t want t’ say goodbye to them with links on, do you?’.