Chain drive system

In a chain drive system comprising

• a metallic drive chain and
• a sprocket meshingly engaged with said drive chain,
• the improvement wherein:
• said sprocket includes two, at least partially spaced, ply members of generally the same radius,
• each having a toothed portion including a substantial number of teeth of substantially the same shape formed at the same pitch on the outer peripheries thereof, with
• teeth of said ply members being disposed in axially spaced but mutually aligned relation relative to an axis of rotation of said sprocket;
• and
• an elastic member is secured between at least the spaced toothed portions of said two sprocket ply members in the toothed portions of said ply members, with
• parts of said elastic member projecting radially outwardly of the spaced tooth root portions to form resilient buffer portions engageable with teeth of said drive chain;
• said resilient buffer portions projecting radially outwardly of said tooth root portions include
• first, base portions disposed in the radially innermost portions of said root portions, and
• second, lateral portions disposed radially outwardly of said innermost portions;
• said first, base portions projecting further from said root portions of said ply members than said second, lateral portions and being relatively thicker, in the axial direction of said sprocket;
• said elastic member providing, as an integrally interconnected, elastic body,
• first, elastic chain buffer means
• defined by said resilient buffer portions, and
• extending radially outward of radial extremities of said sprocket ply members defining said root portions, and
• elastic anchoring means extending between said ply members;
• said anchoring means and chain buffer means being elastic and integrally interconnected;
• said toothed portions of said ply members including outer extremity portions which define mutually converging walls operable to restrict axially outermost portions of said elastic member;
• said toothed portions of said ply members including inner portions which define mutually converging walls operable to restrict radially innermost portions of said elastic member;
• and
• said ply members providing axially displaced openings on opposite sides of said ply members through which elastomeric anchoring plug means, integral with said elastic member, project in generally axially opposite directions to provide elastic anchoring on each side of said elastic member.

In a chain drive system comprising

• a metallic drive chain and
• a sprocket meshingly engaged with said drive chain,
• the improvement wherein:
• said sprocket includes two, at least partially spaced, ply members of generally the same radius,
• each having a toothed portion including a substantial number of teeth of substantially the same shape formed at the same pitch on the outer peripheries thereof, with
• teeth of said ply members being disposed in axially spaced but mutually aligned relation relative to an axis of rotation of said sprocket;
• an elastic buffer member is secured at least in part between at least the spaced toothed portions of said two sprocket ply members in the toothed portions of said two sprocket ply members in the toothed portions of said ply members;
• said portions of said tooth portions of said ply members include laterally directed openings;
• and
• said elastic buffer member includes elastic portions projecting laterally outwardly of said openings;
• said elastic member providing, as an integrally interconnected, elastic body,
• first, elastic chain buffer means
• defined by said resilient buffer portions, and
• extending radially outward of radial extremities of said sprocket ply members defining said root portions, and
• elastic anchoring means extending between said ply members and including said elastic portions;
• said anchoring means and chain buffer means being elastic and integrally interconnected;
• said toothed portions of said ply members including outer extremity portions which define mutually converging walls operable to restrict axially outermost portions of said elastic member;
• said toothed portions of said ply members including inner portions which define mutually converging walls operable to restrict radially innermost portions of said elastic member;
• and
• said ply members providing axially displaced openings on opposite sides of said ply members through which elastomeric anchoring plug means, integral with said elastic member, project in generally axially opposite directions to provide elastic anchoring on each side of said elastic member.