Simplified adjustable tire chain

A method of assembling an adjustable size tire chain structure comprising the steps of prefabricating a plurality of substantially V-shaped wire body connecting links,

• forming a loop at each end of the V of each connecting link in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the V to accommodate the body of a rope connector,
• clamping a plurality of groups of at least three separate collars at spaced positions upon each of two rope connectors with the groups of collars being positioned to coincide with substantially equally spaced desired positions of the connecting links on the rope connectors,
• attaching each connecting link to one end of each of a group of cross chains each having an end link at each end by threading one loop of the connecting link through the end link of the cross chain so that each cross chain has a connecting link at each end,
• sliding the body of one rope connector into the loops of all of the connecting links connected to one set of ends of the cross chains, sliding the body of the other rope connector into the loops of all of the connecting links connected to the other set of ends of the cross chains, the connections of the rope connectors to the loops each being in proximity to a group of three clamped collars, the clamped collars being selectively placed with three collars between the loops to shorten the associated rope connector or with two collars between the loops to lengthen the associated rope connector.

An adjustable size tire chain structure comprising a plurality of metal cross chains each having an end link at each end, an inboard rope connector for interconnection with the inboard ends of said cross chains, an outboard rope connector for interconnection with the outboard ends of said cross chains, a combined rope to cross chain connecting link and rope clamping ring and rope connector adjustment device provided at each end of each cross chain for connection to said inboard and outboard rope connectors, each of said connecting links comprising a substantially V-shaped wire body with a loop formed at each end of the V, said wire body being connected to the associated cross chain end by linking through the end link at the bottom of the V, said loops each being engaged with the associated one of said rope connectors by at least partially surrounding the rope of said rope connector, one of said loops being firmly clamped to said rope and the other one of said loops being dimensioned and arranged to partially surround and slidably engage said rope, said slidably engaged loop being open sufficiently to permit the rope to be slipped out of and into said loop, a collar clamped to said rope at a position upon said rope on the side of said slidably engaged loop opposite to the side of said firmly clamped loop when said rope is stretched from said clamped loop to said collar, said collar being sufficiently large to prevent the rope from sliding through said slidably engaged loop when said rope is placed into said slidably engaged loop with said collar on the side of said slidably engaged loop facing said clamped loop to thereby maintain a loop of rope between said clamped loop and said slidably engaged loop to thereby shorten said rope connector.

A method of assembling an adjustable size tire chain structure comprising the steps of prefabricating a plurality of substantially V-shaped wire body connecting links, forming a loop at each end of the V of each connecting link in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the V, dividing the connecting links into two groups which are equal in number and combining each group with a separate rope connector by inserting the body of the rope connector into one of the loops of each of the associated connecting links with the associated connecting links substantially equally spaced along the rope connector, firmly closing the loop of each connecting link into which the rope has been inserted to firmly clamp the rope within that loop, clamping a separate collar at a position upon each rope connector on the side of the unclamped loop facing away from the clamped loop of each connecting link, attaching each connecting link attached to one of said rope connectors to one end of each of a group of cross chains by threading the unclamped loop of the connecting link through the end link of the cross chain, attaching each connecting link of the other one of said rope connectors in the same manner to the other end of each of said cross chains, and then sliding the body of each rope connector into the unclamped loop of each associated connecting link with the collar placed selectively on the side of the unclamped loop facing the clamped loop to thereby maintain a loop of rope between the clamped loop and the unclamped loop of the connecting link to thereby shorten the rope connector or on the other side of said unclamped loop to lengthen the rope connector.

An adjustable size tire chain structure comprising a plurality of metal cross chains each having an end link at each end, an inboard rope connector for interconnection with the inboard ends of said cross chains, an outboard rope connector for interconnection with the outboard ends of said cross chains, a combined rope to cross chain connecting link and rope connector adjustment device provided at each end of each cross chain for connection to said inboard and outboard rope connectors, each of said connecting links comprising a substantially V-shaped wire body with a loop formed at each end of the V, said wire body being connected to the associated cross chain end by linking through the end link at the bottom of the V, said loops each being engaged with the associated one of said rope connectors by at least partially surrounding the rope of said rope connector, one of said loops being dimensioned and arranged to partially surround and slidably engage said rope, said slidably engaged loop being open sufficiently to permit the rope to be slipped out of and into said loops, a collar clamped to said rope at a position upon said rope on the side of said slidably engaged loop opposite to the side of the other one of said loops when said rope is stretched from said other loop to said collar, means to prevent said rope from sliding through said other loop, said collar being sufficiently large to prevent the rope from sliding through said slidably engaged loop when said rope is placed into said slidably engaged loop with said collar on the side of said slidably engaged loop facing said other loop to thereby maintain a loop of rope between said other loop and said slidably engaged loop to thereby shorten said rope connector.