Silent chain having deformable guide plates

A silent chain in the form of an endless loop comprising:

• guide link rows, each comprising a pair of guide plates and a plurality of intermediate link plates disposed between the guide plates, and non-guide link rows, each comprising a plurality of inner link plates, the guide link rows and non-guide link rows being disposed alternately along the length of the chain, and the guide plates and intermediate plates of the guide link rows being interleaved with the plates of the non-guide link rows, each plate having a front hole and a rear hole;
• and
• connecting pins connecting the guide link rows and non-guide link rows in articulating relationship, the connecting pins having end portions fitted into front and rear holes in the guide plates and extending through holes in the intermediate link plates of the guide link rows and through holes in the inner link plates of the non-guide link rows;
• wherein each guide plate has end portions connected by an intermediate portion, the front and rear holes of each guide plate being in the end portions thereof;
• wherein the intermediate portion of each guide plate is located toward the inside of said loop in relation to a pitch line passing through centers of the front and rear pin holes of the guide plate;
• and
• wherein each front pin hole has a frontmost edge and each rear pin hole has a rearmost edge, and when the chain is unloaded, the frontmost edges of the front pin holes of the intermediate link plates of each link row are located forward of the frontmost edges of the front pin holes of the guide plates of the same link row, and the rearmost edges of the rear pin holes of the intermediate link plates of each link row are located rearward of the rearmost edges of the rear pin holes of the guide plates of the same link row.