Back to results
US 4,615,171 AGranted
Bicycle chain lubrication
AssigneeIncom International Inc.
InventorRobert G. Burk
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeIncom International Inc.
InventorRobert G. Burk
Estimating the term…
Bicycle Chain is made of alternating bushing links and pin links. The bushing links have parallel bushings held in interference fit in bushing plates and extended axially beyond the bushing plates, solid metal rolls with a lubricating plating are held loosely on the bushings, and loosely between the bushing plates. The bushings extend axially outward beyond the bushing plates for substantial distances. Pins extend through the bushings and are fixed in pin plates to form pin links which alternate with the bushing links. The pin plates are held outward from the bushing plates for a substantial amount by the axial bushing extensions to prevent dirt build up. The pin plates, bushing plates and bushings are plated with an anti-corrosion plating. The pins and rolls are plated with a porous metal plating with solid polymeric lubricant held within pores of the plating for lubricating the pin-bushing interior interface and for lubricating the roll-bushing and roll-bushing plate interfaces.
Bicycle chain apparatus comprising plural bushing links, each bushing link having first and second parallel bushing plates, each bushing plate having first and second bushing receiving openings near opposite ends thereof, first and second bushings press fitted in interference fit in the openings in the first plate, first and second rollers loosely positioned respectively on the first and second bushings and the first and second bushings being press fitted through the first and second openings of the second bushing plate, opposite ends of the bushings extending substantially beyond the first and second bushing plates and forming thereby spacers, and plural pin links alternately connected to the plural bushing links, each pin link having first and second parallel pin plates, each pin plate having first and second pin receiving openings near opposite ends thereof, first and second pins inserted through first and second pin receiving openings in the first pin plate and respectively through a second bushing of a first bushing link and through a first bushing of a second bushing link and then respectively through first and second pin receiving openings in the second pin plate, opposite ends of the first and second pins being upset and expanded into respective first and second pin receiving openings in the pin plates, said pin plates maintained in spaced position from said bushing plates by said spacers on said bushings, the pins and the rollers having solid lubricating plated coatings on surfaces thereof for respectively providing lubrication to plated interior and exterior surfaces of the bushings, wherein the plated coatings on the rollers and pins comprise porous nickel platings having pores filled with solid polymeric lubricating material.
Bicycle chain apparatus comprising plural bushing links, each bushing link having first and second parallel bushing plates, each bushing plate having first and second bushing receiving openings near opposite ends thereof, first and second bushings fixed respectively in the first and second openings of the first and second bushing plates, opposite ends of the bushings extending substantially beyond the first and second bushing plates and forming thereby spacers, and plural pin links alternately connected to the plural bushing links, each pin link having first and second parallel pin plates, each pin plate having first and second pin receiving openings near opposite ends thereof, first and second pins inserted through first and second pin receiving openings in the first pin plate and respectively through a second bushing of a first bushing link and through a second bushing link and then respectively through first and second pin receiving openings in the second pin plate, opposite ends of the first and second pins being fixed into respctive first and second pin receiving openings in the pin plates, said pin plates maintained in spaced position from said bushing plates by said spacers on said bushings, the pins having solid lubricating plated coatings on surfaces thereof for respectively providing lubrication to plated interior surfaces of the bushings, wherein the plated coating on the pins comprises porous plating having pores filled with polymeric lubricating material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.