Tsubakimoto Chain Company

Toshihiko Aoki

Takashi Nakagawa

Hiroki Ishida

Hirofumi Miki

There is provided an engagement chain whose driving force per occupied space is increased, whose durability is improved by reducing stress in a direction of bending a connecting pin and whose engagement noise during driving is reduced. The engagement chain includes a large number of outer and inner link plates, each having hook-like portions, which are connected in a chain longitudinal direction by connecting pins, the large number of outer and inner link plates are connected flexibly without gap in the chain width direction while the back surfaces of the link plates opposite to the hook-like portions engage with driving sprockets.

Engagement chain

In an oil-free roller chain, the inner faces of the outer link plates have recesses that receive the ends of bushings, and the inner faces of the inner link plates have recesses that receive the ends of rollers surrounding the bushings. Each such recess is formed by punching, so that the outer surface of each plate has a bulged portion opposite each recess. The diameters of the bulged portions are greater than the diameters of the corresponding recesses. The bushing can have an oil passage located midway between its ends and serving as an oil reservoir supplying oil to the gap between the bushing and the roller and between the bushing and a connecting pin.

Oil-free chain

An oil-free chain has bushings which protrude from the outer surfaces of the inner link plates into which they are press-fit, and extend into bushing supporting bores formed in the inner surfaces of the outer link plates of the chain. These bushing supporting bores are formed by a pressing operation which produces offsets in portions of the outer plate, so that, as the bushing supporting bores are formed in the inner surfaces of the outer plates, bosses are simultaneously formed on the outer surfaces. The connecting pins of the chain are press-fit into pin holes in these bosses. The bushing supporting bores are formed without removal of material by machining, and therefore the strength of the outer plates is not compromised.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Toshihiko Aoki