Fixed track chain drive
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorGeorge H. Sutherland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Guide means are provided for a fixed track chain drive system to avoid velocity fluctuation caused when the chain enters and exits a drive sprocket during continued travel between straight tracks. Said guide means comprises a curved track section located between the drive sprocket and straight track having a varying curvature depending upon a mathematical computation derived between the chain lengths when traveling in the straight track and on the drive sprocket.
Claims9
A guidance system to avoid velocity fluctuation in a fixed track chain drive caused when the chain enters and exits a drive sprocket during continued travel between straight tracks which comprises locating a pair of curved track sections between said drive sprocket and said straight tracks having different curvature paths, said curved track sections having a projected length approximately equal to the length of a chain link and with a varying curvature being defined by a depth from said projected length approximately equal to the locus of intersection between two circles each having a radius equal to the length of a chain link and with centers being located by adjacent pins, and with the curvature path in each of said curved track sections having a mirror image relationship with the other curvature path.
A guidance system to avoid velocity fluctuations in a fixed track roller chain drive caused when the chain enters and exits a drive sprocket during continued travel between straight tracks which comprises:
- (a) a drive sprocket having a pitch radius suitable for engagement of the roller elements in said roller chain,
- (b) a driven sprocket spaced apart from said drive sprocket in the form of a smooth drum having a radius less than said pitch radius by an amount approximately equal to the radius of the roller elements in said roller chain,
- (c) straight track sections extending between said spaced apart drive and driven sprockets such that the roller chain is guided at approximately equal spacing over the chain span, and
- (d) a pair of curved track sections located between said drive sprocket and said straight track sections having different curvature paths, each of said curved track sections having a projected length approximately equal to the length of a chain link with varying curvatures of different depth from said projected length approximately equal to the locus of intersection between two circles each having a radius equal to the length of a chain link and with the centers being located by adjacent pins and with the curvature path in each of said curved track sections having a mirror image relationship with the other curvature path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.