Drive apparatus containing a universal link chain

A drive apparatus, comprising:

• a universal link chain composed of interconnected chain links;
• at least one chain wheel for driving said universal link chain;
• said chain wheel having a circumferential profile engaging with the chain links of said universal link chain;
• said circumferential profile of said chain wheel being substantially complementary to the profile of said universal link chain;
• at least one guide channel having an internal space;
• said chain links being guided at their circumference in said guide channel;
• said guide channel extending in tangential direction up to the region of the circumference of said chain wheel;
• said guide channel having wall means provided with at least one recess through which the chain wheel enters the internal space of said guide channel, in order to form together with said guide channel a transfer location at which each chain link is simultaneously guided by the guide channel and the chain wheel;
• said chain links being guided, at the transfer location, by said guide channel at least along that half of their circumference which, with respect to a lengthwise axis of the chain, is located opposite the chain wheel, whereas the chain wheel engages with the chain links over at least a portion of the other circumferential half of said chain links;
• the chain links being guided at the transfer location by means of the guide channel along at least a portion of that circumferential half thereof with which engages the chain wheel;
• said guide channel possessinng a substantially tongue-like portion at its half confronting the chain wheel with respect to the lengthwise axis of the chain;
• said tongue-like portion extending up to the transfer location;
• and
• respective recesses in the channel wall means adjacent each one of both sides of said tongue-like portion and through which the chain wheel enters into the interior of the guide channel.

A drive apparatus comprising:

• a universal link chain composed of interconnected chain links;
• at least one chain wheel for driving said universal link chain;
• said chain wheel having a circumferential profile engaging with the chain links of said universal link chain;
• said circumferential profile of said chain wheel being substantially complementary to the profile of said universal link chain;
• at least one guide channel having an internal space;
• said chain links being guided at their circumference in said guide channel;
• said guide channel extending in tangential direction up to the region of the circumference of said chain wheel;
• said guide channel having wall means provided with at least one recess through which the chain wheel enters the internal space of said guide channel, in order to form together with said guide channel a transfer location at which each chain link is simultaneously guided by the guide channel and the chain wheel;
• said chain links being guided, at the transer location, by said guide channel at least along that half of their circumference which, with respect to a lengthwise axis of the chain is located opposite the chain wheel, whereas the chain, wheel engages with the chain links over at least a portion of the other circumferential half of said chain links;
• the chain links being guided at the transfer location by means of the guide channel along at least a portion of that circumferential half thereof with which engages the chain wheel;
• said chain links being guided at the transfer location by means of the guide channel over a circumferential portion possessing a sector angle which is greater than 180.degree.;
• the radius of the chain wheel being smaller than the spacing between an axis of rotation of the chain wheel and the lengthwise axis of the chain;
• said guide channel possessing a substantially tongue-like portion at its half confronting the chain wheel with respect to the lengthwise axis of the chain;
• said tongue-like portion extending up to the transfer location;
• and
• respective recesses in the channel wall means adjacent each one of both sides of said tongue-like portion and through which the chain wheel enters into the interior of the guide channel.